Priyanka teams up with Shah Rukh for item song

After Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra has been chosen as the third heroine to make a special appearance in Priyadarshan's Billoo Barber and shake a leg with Shah Rukh Khan.

And Priyadarshan says it was a cakewalk for the superstar to get the leading ladies to do a cameo in his comedy.

"Since Shah Rukh plays a filmstar in the movie, I needed him to do some big glamorous song and dance numbers with some top heroines. I left the choice to Shah Rukh. I knew all he had to do was to pick up the phone and ask any of his leading ladies," Priyadarshan revealed.

According to sources, it was a tie between Rani Mukerji and Priyanka for the third item song with Shah Rukh Khan in Billoo Barber.

"But after Rani appeared on Salman Khan's game show Dus Ka Dum and knowing there's no love lost between Salman and Priyanka, the scales tilted automatically towards Priyanka," an industry source said.

Though King Khan has done item numbers earlier in Shakti, Kaal and Krazzy 4, this would be Priyanka's first item number.

The song with Kareena was shot at the very start of the shooting.

"At this very moment, I'm shooting a second item song with Deepika and Shah Rukh. That's again a very catchy number and Shah Rukh is having a ball shooting with Deepika," Priyadarshan said.

Interestingly, the director was supposed to launch Deepika two years ago in a film called Pirate.

"But that didn't work out. She made her debut with Shah Rukh (in Om Shanti Om). Now she's working with him again. And I also got a chance to work with her. Don't ask who's the lucky one," he quipped.

Inspired by the story of Lord Krishna and his childhood friend Sudama, a poor Brahmin, Billoo Barber tells the tale of a superstar and his pal Billoo (Irrfan Khan), who is a barber by profession.