Riding high on the box office, Kareena Kapoor has been paired opposite Box Office King Akshay Kumar in Sajid Nadiadwala's next blockbuster KAMBAKTH ISHQ. The film will be directed by Sabir Khan.

It's Kareena Kapoor's first film that she has signed post the highly appreciated and successful film JAB WE MET.

Says Kareena, "This is the first film I have signed post JAB WE MET. It's a very unusual love story and I loved the script. Besides, I always wanted to act in Sajid Nadiadwala's banner. I am also looking forward to work with Akshay again after Yashraj's 'TASHAN'. This will be our fifth film together and we share an excellent chemistry on screen."

Sajid Nadiadwala, who is also running high after the humungous hit HEY BABYY, seems quite ecstatic about Kareena for 'Kambakth Ishq'.

Says Sajid, "My director Sabir and I both saw JAB WE MET together and absolutely loved it. Her transition from an extroverted character to a matured character was fantastic. It was a difficult role, and she was exemplary."

Sajid adds, "'Kambakth Ishq' is a romantic drama with comedy in it. Kareena is working for the first time with our banner and I am excited about it. She would suit the role perfectly. In fact we have had a 100% Golden Jubilee hit record with her sister Karishma in JEET and JUDWAA. Kareena's dad Randhir has worked with our banner Nadiadwala Grandsons in many films including 'Haath Ki Safai' and 'Rampur Ka Lakshman'.

When questioned about Kareena being choosy about her scripts and his three month long lookout for the heroine to suit the role, Sajid laughed, "I don't make action films but women-centric films where a girl's role is pivotal to the story. All the boys and girls who have acted in my films have done well. 'Heyy Babyy' has grossed 100 crores in India in five weeks."

Infact when I approached Kareena, she said that she didn't want to hear the script, but just wanted to start shooting. That was her confidence on our banner.

Shooting of 'Kambakth Ishq' is slated to begin from January 2008 with 9 actors from Hollywood. The film will be shot in exotic locales of Los Angeles. Adds Sajid, "It will be an international love story on a huge scale."