The mysterious disappearance of Chitranga

Rituparno Ghosh wants to cast her as Draupadi. She has a new release coming up. But Chitrangada Singh is firmly out of bounds - for Bollywoood at least.

And everybody seems to have a reason to explain her withdrawal except the actress herself. When she was finally tracked down, Chitrangada told IANS: "I'm not saying anything.

"All kinds of rumours are being spread about me. All I can say is the truth is known only to me. I'll speak out at the right time. But not now."

Said her mentor Sudhir Mishra: "What's happening with her is very, very unfortunate. She got it all... and now she's hell-bent on throwing it away. She has made herself inaccessible to everyone, and not just the press. I've lost track of the number of efforts I've made to contact her. She's just not taking my calls!"

Apparently it's in-law pressure that has persuaded Chitrangada to go underground.

It is being said that after a flying start in Mishra's "Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi", the married, Meerut-born actress was given an ultimatum - choose between a movie career and marriage. Chitrangada had little choice.

She had to sever links with showbiz or face the consequences in her domestic life even as her second film "Kal: Yesterday & Tomorrow" was about to be released.

But Chitrangada says: "I've nothing to say right now. Director Ruchi Narain has done a terrific job. I hope 'Kal' does well. I'm afraid to say more because I don't know who's on my side and who's not."

People compared her with Smita Patil, and she didn't mind. Raring to go after the unexpected critical success of "Hazaaron Khwaishein...", Chitrangada seemed to be on a roll.

"What I did in 'Hazaar Khwaishein...' wasn't easy. If I can carry off that, I'm confident I can carry off any role. It's fascinating how much variety Bollywood has to offer an actor. It's like an ongoing party.

"Everyone is making a film. Some are crossing over; others are going parallel. It's the best time for an actress to be in Indian movies. I'd love to work with Ashutosh Gowariker, Farhan Akhtar, Mira Nair... I just need to hold on," she had said after her first film's release.

Now when her second release "Kal" is around the corner, Chitrangada has disappeared - with apparently no forwarding address! A pity since she seemed pretty excited about her second film just a while ago.

"I guess because I've done the offbeat role well, they presume I can't do anything else. Fortunately I've another film coming up. 'Kal' is directed by Mishra's former assistant Ruchi Narain.

"I play a regular 26-year-old Mumbai girl. It's a female-centric plot. And it's completely in Hindi. It isn't an out-and-out commercial film. But it's a thriller, a murder mystery... Then I'm talking to other people about other roles..."

This was Chitrangada two months ago. Today she's in a different space in her life altogether where movies and movie folks have no room. Will she remain a two-film wonder?