5 Big directors left helpless sans lead actors

The first one to be so effected is Sujoy Ghosh. Imagine his shock when Vidya Balan whose career went to a new level with Sujoy's Kahaani said yes and then no to the director's next Durga Rani Singh. The rejection set off a chain reaction of setbacks for the project.

Sujoy and Vidya who during Kahaani were like twins are no longer on talking terms. He later approached Kangna Ranaut and she too isn't doing the film.

For now Sujoy has left Durga Rani Singh on the backburner. He confesses, "I wouldn't like to think that the casting problems have hurt my project. Every film has its own destiny. Durga Rani Singh will happen when it is destined to happen."

Rajkumar Gupta is facing a similar casting crisis. His film Section 84 finds itself without a heroine after Kareena Kapoor staged a walk-out at the last minute.

"There is nothing I can say about my project at the moment," says Gupta, besieged by a crisis not of his making.

Reema Kagti too didn't know what hit her when Saif Ali Khan opted out of her next film Mr Chaloo. TheTalaash began all over again, pun intended. For the director who worked with Aamir Khan in her next last project, the painful hunt for a hero is humiliating and discouraging... Or as, one director puts it succinctly, "It's like the dulha leaving the bride on the mandap. Finding another husband is near-impossible."

Reema can seek comfort in Raj Nidimoro and Krishna DK's plight. They signed Shahid Kapoor forFarzi. Shahid decided to get married during the time when he was supposed to shoot with the directorial duo. He had apparently promised to do Farzi as soon as the marriage was done. But now he goes straight to Vishal Bhardwaj's Rangoon.

So what happens to Raj and DK...

The search is on. Bhagwan ke naam ek hero de de...