By Subhash K Jha

Hyderabad, Jul 27 (IANS): Actor Atul Kulkarni has been roped in to play Ramchandra Pandurang Tope, better know as Tatya Tope in upcoming film "Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi". He says he is doing all his sword-fighting stunts himself.

Directed by Krish, the film features actress Kangana Ranaut as Rani Laxmibai.

"After Kangana in the title role, Atul has the most powerful role in ‘Manikarnika'. He has been learning horse-riding and sword-fighting alongside Kangana and since they are both shown to be fighting from the same side in the war, the two of them spent a lot of time getting into the combined collaborative mode," a source said.

Atul, who earlier played Ramprasad Bismil in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's "Rang De Basanti", said: "This is something I've never done before. I am doing all my sword fighting stunts myself. My body-double hired to do the stunts just sits around on the sets doing nothing."