Katrina Kaif finalised for 'Dhoom 3'

After an extensive hunt for a new face to star opposite Aamir Khan in 'Dhoom 3', the film makers have finally decided on actress Katrina Kaif to play the female lead in the upcoming sequel of the blockbuster series.

Yash Raj Films made the announcement today after director Vijay Krishna Acharya (popularly known as Victor), and producer Aditya Chopra decided to go with the leggy beauty.

"After almost a year of searching for a new face for 'Dhoom 3' we were still unable to find the perfect debutant to play the lead role. We even reached out to international talent but were still unable to find someone who stood out. Both Adi and I really wanted to be sure that the person we chose would be perfect for the role," Victor said in a statement.

"Once we decided to go with a known face and not pursue the new-comer route, Katrina was the obvious choice for all of us. She is someone who we all know will bring tremendous enthusiasm and commitment to the film. The first time pairing of Aamir with Katrina will also certainly add value," he said.

The theme of the 'Dhoom' series centres around thrill, action, bike chases, handsome thieves, smart and daring stealing plans. After the success of 'Dhoom' (2004) and 'Dhoom-2' (2006), there is much buzz in B-town regarding the next sequel.

Aamir would be seen as the baddie in the film while actors Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra would be continuing with their famous pair of 'Jai' and 'Ali'.

The shooting will begin in the end of this year and it is slated for a 2012 Christmas release.