Mumbai, Jul 23 (IANS): Vishal Bhardwaj and Sanjay Leela Bhansali are reportedly set to direct films on two different female gangsters based on the same source material.

Years ago Bhardwaj had gone to Bhansali with a script about reincarnation, which he wanted the latter to direct. That film never happened. But now both the distinguished filmmakers' destinies are joined in a strange way.

Both the filmmakers have secured filmmaking rights from chapters out of S. Hussain Zaidi's bestseller "Mafia Queens Of Mumbai", about female gangsters.

While Bhardwaj would soon be making a film based on Zaidi's account of Ashraf Khan alias Sapna, the gangster whose only mission in life is to eliminate her husband's killer Dawood, Bhansali would be directing a film based on the life and crimes of female gangster Gangubai Kothewali, the dreaded female crime-lord, known as 'The Madame Of Kamathipura'.

Interestingly both the films on female gangsters by Bhansali and Bhardwaj are expected to go on the floors at the same time time next year.

Siad a source, "Bhansali is as fascinated by Gangubai's life as Bhardwaj is by Ashraf Khan.

"The important thing is the principal casting. Both the directors have gone into other projects before taking on Hussain Zaidi's female gangsters' stories because they're still searching for the right actress. In the next couple of months, they would crack the casting."

Meanwhile, another filmmaker Shashi Ranjan is already halfway through his biopic on another female gangster Archana Sharma.

Ranjan confirmed he is shooting Sharma's story with Mahima Chowdhary in the lead.