Ananya Panday has backed out of Choomantar due to a clash with Call Me Bae 2. The film, set to shoot in Jan 2026, now plans to cast Sreeleela and Janki Bodiwala opposite Abhay Verma
Ananya Panday
Adding a Maddock Films’ entertainer to her filmography may not happen as soon as Ananya Panday had expected. While the actor was supposed to lead Choomantar along with Munjya (2023) find Abhay Verma, sources have now told mid-day that Panday is no longer attached to the fantasy romance. Reason? Scheduling conflicts with the second season of Call Me Bae, we’re told.
It turns out the change was made recently after it became clear that Panday’s 2026 commitments would overlap with the timeline of Tarun Dudeja’s directorial venture. A source revealed, “The team of Choomantar is aiming to begin filming in January 2026. That clashes with Call Me Bae 2, which recently went on floors. So, Ananya and the makers of Choomantar decided to part ways, with the promise of working soon.”
Following her exit, the makers are said to have restructured the cast. We’ve learnt that South actor Sreeleela and Janki Bodiwala of Vash Level 2 fame are expected to lead the film with Verma. The source added, “A mock shoot with the trio happened last week. The fantasy romantic drama has been in preparation for several months, and workshops are likely to begin next week.”
How you know them:
Abhay Verma broke out with the sleeper hit, ‘Munjya’ (2023)
Kannada actor Sreeleela will make her Bollywood debut with Anurag Basu’s musical led by Kartik Aaryan
Janki Bodiwala recently won the National Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the Gujarati blockbuster ‘Vash’ (2023)
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