Director Apoorva Lakhia stops on Dia Mirza, to play the role of a journalist in 'Shootout At Lokhandwala'. Earlier both are used to be good friends, but later their friendship soured and they parted ways. The film is based on true-life journalist Minty Tejpal who covered the shoot-out in Mumbai 1992. Lakhia says, "Producer Sanjay Gupta and I mutually decided on selecting Dia. We're both professionals. We're here to work not to rake up the past. The film was turning into a stag party with so many male actors in it. We needed feminine glamour."