MUMBAI:The search for the actor to play the lead role in Shyam Benegal's film titled, Netaji- The Last Hero in Germany, Myanmar, Malaysia, Uzbekistan and India is still on.

The film, a project by Sahara India Pariwar, is being produced by Shyam Benegal's Sahyadri Films . Pre-production planning of the film is almost complete, says a release.

" We are still looking for the actor to play the lead role of Netaji. Many good actors are being auditioned. Selection of the actor for the lead role might take some time but the decision regarding the final cast of other principal actors will be made shortly", film director Shyam Benegal is quoted as saying in the release.

The multi-starrer film will have actors both from India and abroad,each fitting in perfectly well in the characters of the film. While Japanese and Uzbek actors are being finalized, German actors have already been selected states the release. Some of the actors selected include Anna Prustel, Barbara Stanek, Christian Oskar I'Spitzl, Florian Panzer, Thomas Hodina, Florian Fitz, Wanja Mues and Rolf Kanies who will play the role of Hitler, the release adds.

The film is scripted by Shama Zaidi and Atul Tiwari, who have also written both the screenplay and dialogues. The music is being done by A. R Rahman and the lyrics are being written by Javed Akhtar. Rajan Kothari will be the cameraman and Ashwyn Balsavar the sound recordist. The art direction and production design will be by Samir Chanda and costumes are being designed by Pia Benegal.

The mega-film is slated to be ready for a theatrical release during 2003. "This will be an authentic historical account of the five years of Netaji's life from 1940 to 1945 when his contribution to India's freedom was incalculable," says Shyam Benegal who has been working on the project for over three years.