Govinda’s son Yashvardhan’s debut with Baby sequel hits pause after Babil Khan opts out mid way: REPORT

Plans for the Hindi remake of the acclaimed 2023 Telugu film Baby have come to a standstill after actor Babil Khan opted out of the project. The film, which also marked the acting debut of Yashvardhan Ahuja—son of veteran actor Govinda—was being directed by Sai Rajesh, the filmmaker behind the original version.

According to sources close to the production, Babil’s decision to exit stems from a fallout with the director. The situation escalated after Sai Rajesh publicly commented on an emotional video shared by Babil on social media, reportedly criticizing the actor’s vulnerability and calling for an apology. Following the disagreement, Babil chose to walk away from the film.

The casting process, which had already taken several months—especially for the female lead, a newcomer—has now hit a major obstacle, states a report in Peeping Moon. With one of the primary roles vacant, the production has been paused indefinitely while the team searches for a replacement.

Industry insiders say the recasting process could be time-consuming, and there’s currently no word on when filming will resume.

The remake is being jointly produced by Madhu Mantena, Allu Aravind’s Geetha Arts, and Sreenivasa Kumar Naidu, who also produced the original Telugu film. Babil was initially brought on board to play the character originally portrayed by Anand Deverakonda, while Yashvardhan Ahuja had been set to take on Viraj Ashwin’s role.

At present, the future of the Hindi version remains uncertain, with the team reassessing the project’s timeline in the wake of Babil’s departure.

An official confirmation on the same is however awaited.