All concentration on DTBHJ; Heroine is on hold: Bhandarkar

With just a couple of months to go for the release of his first ever light hearted comic entertainer Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji, Madhur Bhandarkar has been slogging over the last few weeks to wrap up work on his Ajay Devgn & Emraan Hashmi starrer. To enjoy a quick breather before he gets back into his 24X7 routine again, he is currently on a mini-break abroad for a couple of days.

Meanwhile there seems to be some sudden development of sorts with Aishwarya Bachchan's name cropping up for his next outing Heroine (to be jointly produced by Bhandarkar Entertainment and UTV Motion Pictures). Since there appears to be some dilly-dallying on the part of Kareena Kapoor (who was approached for Heroine and stays on to be Bhandarkar's first choice), the director appears to have come up with a call of 'enough is enough'. For the uninitiated, since the film is said to be controversial in nature with quite a few real life incidents being dramatised for a cinematic experience, Kareena was said to be hesitant with some portions (including a few steamy scenes) of the film.

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"Now even you are getting into a speculating mode", says Madhur with mock annoyance, "Don't go by the reports that seem to be coming in every now and then. There is no truth to me approaching Aishwarya Bachchan or any other actress for the film. In fact Heroine is currently on hold. All my concentration is on Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji for which I have shot non-stop for 60 days. It is a film which requires my total attention and there is no movement on Heroine as of now."

Madhur is obviously reacting to a media report that recently flashed a headline which indicated that Bhandarkar had sent feelers through his office to Aishwarya Bachchan to play the central protagonist in his exposing tale about the world of glamour, Bollywood and entertainment - Heroine.

Denies Sanjay Mehta, Business Head at Bhandarkar Entertainment, "Madhur hasn't approached Aishwarya Bachchan or any other actress. For that matter, in recent past he hasn't even brought up the film for a formal discussion with Kareena. He would be doing all the talking around Heroine and another project of his only next year after Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji is released."

Meanwhile, the first look of his romcom is up for release. Once Bhandarkar is back from his vacation this weekend, he is expected to go all out to present his lead stars Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi who were seen in an altogether different light earlier this year in Once Upon A Time In Mumbai.

"While that happens, wait for an official announcement to come in around Heroine and my next film", assures Bhandarkar, "Don't trust any assumptions or speculations till you get any news straight from me or my office."

Well, we will try to do that Madhur. Par kya karein, dil toh bachcha hai ji!