Fitoor too burns in the bonfire of vanities

Fitoor too burns in the bonfire of vanities
Rekha bows out of the Abhishek Kapoor film after viewing the final rushes of the desi adaptation of Great Expectations, two days after the film's shoot was completed.

Just 24 hours earlier, Mirror had reported that Rekha, who plays the Indian version of the lovelorn eccentric Miss Havisham in Abhishek Kapoor’s Fitoor, was displeased with the final rushes of the film which wrapped up shooting this weekend.

A source close to the film had told the paper that when Rekha saw herself on screen, she immediately told the director that she was unhappy with her look and requested Gattu to re-shoot some of the portions featuring her. And even though he was satisfied with the scenes, he readily agreed to oblige Rekha.

The unit then extended the shoot by a few extra days and were expected to re-shoot sequences starting Monday at Mehboob studios. But the lot remained empty thanks to a shocking new development. Mirror has learnt that Rekha has bowed out of the film.

Fitoor follows the journey of an orphan boy, Noor, who falls for Firdaus, the glamorous but aloof protege of Begum, an aging, heartbroken recluse.

The choice of Rekha as Begum was lauded as the perfect casting coup but now the makers have been left scrambling for a replacement. And both Katrina Kaif and Aditya Roy Kapur who play the romantic leads will have to re-shoot their sequences with the actress who steps into the shoes of the legendary star. “The replacement will now have to film with both Katrina and Aditya who will have to find matching dates in their packed diaries,” reveals a source close to the development.

Confirming this news, a forlorn Abhishek said, “It is entirely our loss to have missed this chance to work with the legendary Rekhaji, and I hope to work with her in the future.” But what caused this shock exit? While Gattu remained silent on the topic, a source close to the development said,"Rekha came to the conclusion that she is not looking good on screen and that no re-shoot can salvage it. She therefore decided to exit the project. The producers won’t be taking any legal action against the veteran actress."

Meanwhile, the production house backing the project has chalked out her exit to a clash of shooting schedules. “Since the Fitoor schedule has changed from what was planned initially, the new dates clashed with Rekhaji’s prior professional commitments. She has therefore expressed that she will be unable to accommodate these dates and will regrettably have to bow out of the film. We fully appreciate her position and hope to be able to work with her in the future,” said UTV’s spokesperson.