Indo-Japanese film falls through, Asin is fuming

By Subhash K Jha

Kamal Haasan has apparently pulled out of the big-budget Walt Disney production. Asin's prestigious Indo-Japanese project The 19th Step is apparently shelved, leaving the comely actress Asin with tons of time that she had set aside not only to learn and practice the ancient art of Kalaripayattu, but also to shoot for the film in Japan and Kerala.

According to sources; the project has fallen through for no fault of Asin's.

Says the source, "The film's producers Walt Disney and leading man Kamal Haasan have had a serious disagreement. He isn't doing the film. And if Kamal Haasan isn't doing the film, neither is Asin. She agreed to do a Tamil film at this juncture when her Hindi career has taken off, only because of Kamal Haasan whom Asin respects a lot."

At the time of writing this, The 19th Step seems as good as shelved. And Asin, inundated with offers is work-less. Unless, she quickly accepts another project to fill her now empty date diary.

Says a source close to the actress, "Asin is upset with the way the whole Indo-Japanese project was managed. After Vipul Shah's London Dreams she said no to everything in Mumbai including Priyadarshan's Dan Dana Dhan and Farhan Akhtar's Kartik Calling Kartik for 19th Step with Kamal Haasan; whom she respects immensely has requested her to."

Incidentally the number of projects with A R Rahman's music to be shelved or cancelled has just gone a 'step' ahead with 19th Step. Mani Ratnam's Lajjo and Kamal Haasan's Marmyogi were also shelved recently. And earlier Bharat Bala who was to direct 19th Step was supposed to do Taj Mahal with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Mumtaz Mahal with Rahman's music.

Sadly, that too got shelved.