Priyanka Chopra has been missing from the Hindi film scene after ‘Jai GangaaJal' released early last year. But, if Indian media reports are to be believed, it will not be long before she enthrals Bollywood fans in theatres.

The actress will take up the biopic on late astronaut Kalpana Chawla as her next project.

DNA reports that Chopra has been signed to play the role of astronaut Kalpana Chawla in a biopic directed by a newcomer, Priya Mishra. Last year, Viacom 18 had announced that it would make an astronaut biopic but did not reveal the name of the personality. There were reports that it will be based on Chawla.

India.com reports that Chopra showed keen interest in producing that film under her new banner Purple Pebble Pictures. However, now it has been confirmed that it will be bankrolled by Getway, a new production house. However, Chopra will essay the role of Chawla in the film.

Chawla was born in Haryana and went on to become the first woman from India to go into space. She died on her second expedition to space when her space shuttle Columbia exploded. Six other crew members also died in the process. She spent 31 days, 14 hours and 54 minutes in space.

The report by DNA states that Mishra, who was the creative head of a television channel, quit her job in 2011 to pursue film making full time. She has been working on the project for the past seven years and even met Chawla's parents to aid her research.

This will be Chopra's first Hindi film after Prakash Jha's cop drama Jai Gangaajal last year. Also, this will be her second biopic post Omung Kumar's 2014 sports drama Mary Kom.

Besides Chopra, Aamir Khan and Sushant Singh Rajput will also be seen as astronauts on celluloid. While Khan will play Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian man to go into space, in Saare Jahan Se Achha; Rajput will star alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui and R Madhavan in Chanda Mama Door Ke.