The Chennai-based producers of Robot have narrowed their wish-list for the heroine to be paired with Rajnikant in Robot. Deepika Padukone is their first-choice. Tit is believed that the producers and director Shankar have sought an appointment for a story narration.

Meanwhile, Deepika, who is holidaying in Australia, is believed to have extended her holiday. According to sources, the producers of Robot are willing to pay her the fee she quotes. But one wonders whether Deepika, all of 22, will be happy about doing a film opposite Rajnikant, all of 58. Apart from the under production Yash Raj project with Ranbir Kapoor and Bipasha Basu, she is doing Nikhil Advani's Chandni Chowk to China and is believed to be committed to Saif Ali Khan's maiden production venture to be directed by Imtiaz Ali. Rajnikanth's previous heroines have been Sridevi and Manisha Koirala. For his last blockbuster, Sivaji—The Boss, Aishwariya Rai was offered the part but nothing really came of that. In the end, it was Shriya Saran who played the romantic lead in the movie, which ran to packed houses even in Mumbai and North India. Rajnikanth, however, is believed to have made his trip to Tirupathi and thanked Lord Balaji after signing Robot.