Key actor in Manikarnika walks out

Mumbai: Sonu Sood has decided to leave Kangana Ranaut-starrer "Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi" due to scheduling conflict, the actor's spokesperson said today.

According to the spokesperson, Sonu, who is filming Rohit Shetty's "Simmba" right now, was recently asked to reshoot portions for "Manikarnika" by Kangana.

The 45-year-old actor is sporting a beard for the Ranveer Singh-starrer, but for "Manikarnika" he was asked to go clean shaven.

Sonu had asked the makers of the biopic to finish the reshoots after he completes his schedule for "Simmba" but things did not work out and he decided to quit the project.

"Sonu has always been a thorough professional and honoured all his commitments. He had informed the makers of 'Manikarnika' about his dates and schedule well in advance. Inconveniencing the team of his current film to accommodate the demands of another are against his professional principles.

"Sonu has taken the higher road ahead and wishes the team of 'Manikarnika' all the best," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Producer of the film Kamal Jain said Sonu and the film's team mutually decided to part ways due to date issues.

"I have utmost respect and love for Sonu and he is like family to us. With a heavy heart we have mutually decided to part ways due to his date unavailability. He is a thorough professional and have his dates committed to 'Simmba' which is also releasing in December. I would love to work with him in the future again," he said. There were reports that filmmaker Krish Jagarlamudi, who has directed the historical drama, has left the project. The news surfaced online after a picture of a clapboard featuring Kangana's name as the director of the film went viral.

However, it was later clarified by the National Award-winning actor's team that she was just shooting the patchwork in absence of Krish, who is currently busy fulfilling his commitments for another project. (PTI)

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