Freida Pinto -- who played the love interest in "Slumdog Millionaire" -- is taking on a whole new species in her next project ... a prequel to "Planet of the Apes" called "Rise of the Apes."
According to EW.com, Pinto will be playing a primatologist named "Caroline" alongside James Franco, who's playing a scientist.
The film -- to be released next year -- focuses on mankind's experimentation with genetic engineering that eventually leads to a war between humans and apes.
John Lithgow will also co-star.
