TOI:Yash Patnaik: I didn't pull up Anshuman Malhotra!!

The TV show 'Nagarjun' has been mired in controversies right since its inception. After several actors complained of creative dissatisfaction, and with the antagonist Nikitin Dheerbeing brought back after he quit the show, it's now the hero's turn to be in the eye of the storm. Anshuman Malhotra, who plays the male lead Arjun, has been replaced by Pearl V Puriovernight. It has been reported that Anshuman was reprimanded by his producer Yash Patnaik to shape up or ship out if the ratings of the show didn't improve. Refuting the buzz, Yash says, "I have not pulled up Anshuman. He is a good actor and has done complete justice to the character. Such reports can be damaging for an actor. 21-year-old Anshuman fit the bill of an ordinary guy on his way to become a superhero. But we needed a mature guy to play the character in the second part, and that's why Pearl has been brought in. The 'power leap' was planned in October, but we have advanced it as we have a good story at our disposal and many competing shows are slated to end."
Anshuman remained unavailable for comment.