Madhavan opts out of Jaya Bachchan starrer

May 15, 2009 Subhash K Jha

Mumbai, May 15 (IANS) R. Madhavan has opted out of Jaya Bachchan starrer "Chassni", which is director Revathy Sharma's homage to aged people, citing date problem.

As per the original cast, Madhavan was supposed to play Ayesha Takiya's supportive husband who encourages her to 'adopt' an abandoned mother (Jaya Bachchan). But now the actor, who is busy shuttling between Chennai and Mumbai attending to various Tamil and Hindi projects, has said no to "Chassni".

Apparently the long line-up of lady performers from Jaya and Ayesha Takiya to Raveena Tandon and Urvashi Sharma, put Madhavan off. He was left wondering what he would be doing in a ladies' picture.

But the actor gives another reason for opting out.

"I loved the script and I really wanted to act with Jayaji whom I admire a lot. But the producers were undecided about their dates till the last minute. And I had too many assignments. My priority right now is Raj Kumar Hirani's '3 Idiots'," Madhavan told IANS.

Sharma has now begun shooting without a leading man but she is desperately seeking a hero.

"Once a film has so many ladies in the cast a hero is as hard to find as mangoes in the desert," said a female member of the cast.