Chennai, Jan 12 (IANS): Southern actor-filmmaker Ravi Babu says he will start working on the Hindi remake of Telugu horror-thriller "Avunu" only after he finds a suitable actress for the lead role.

"I want the perfect replacement for Poorna in the remake. I can't go with any of the senior artists because the story demands a young actress. Therefore, until I find a suitable actress, I won't start the project," Babu told IANS.

Southern actress Poorna aka Shamna Kasim, played the title role in "Avunu", which is the story of a young woman who begins to feel the presence of an unknown force in her new house.

The film, which was written, directed and co-produced by Babu, also featured Harshavardhan Rane in the lead. Suresh Productions and PVP Cinema jointly produced the film.

Made on a shoestring budget of under Rs.1 crore, "Avunu" was a sleeper hit of last year. It raked in over Rs.3 crore at the box-office.

For its Hindi remake, Babu is "trying to rope in a big studio" as "promotional cost in Bollywood is very high".

Asked if he will directed the Hindi version, he said: "I am more than interested but it's the producer who needs to take a call on it".