MUMBAI: UTV Motion Pictures’ next production Hook Ya Crook, to be directed by David Dhawan, is set to go on floors on 7 January.

“The shooting of Hook Ya Crook will begin from 10 January. Our first schedule is in Mumbai. This will be followed by Hyderabad where we have just started constructing a set. It is a big budget film starring John Abraham as the lead protagonist. UTV is both producing and distributing the film, which is slated for a November 2009 release,” says UTV Motion Pictures production COO Alpana Mishra.

Written by Rensil D'Silva of Rang De Basanti fame, the film also casts Uday Chopra, Aditya Pancholi and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“The female lead for the film has not been finalised yet. We are currently in talks with a few actresses and will zero upon our final choice by next month,” Mishra adds.

The film is inspired from the 1981 Hollywood film Escape to Victory starring football star Pele.