BIPASHA BASU MAY scream from the rooftops that it was Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s insecurity that got her ousted from Ravana but industry insiders are refusing to believe her.In fact, a source tells us that Bipasha was never considered to be a part of Ravana, in the first place.
Director Mani Ratnam likes having item numbers in his movies - like he did in Dil Se (Chaiya Chaiya) and in Guru (Maiya Maiya) and was toying with the idea of having something similar in Ravana as well.
Sources from the set of the film say Mani was planning to introduce the character of Mandodari, Ravana’s beautiful wife into the film. This character was to do a seductive item number and a few scenes and then exit, an exact seven minute role. When news spread that Mani was scouting for an actress to do an item number and a guest appearance in his film, Bipasha was one of the first actresses to push herself for this role.
“The character of Mandodari called for someone sexy and seductive, and many actresses were being considered. Bipasha wasn’t even on the top of Mani’s list. But Bipasha went ahead and told the press that she was offered a supporting role in Ravana,” says the source. Unfortunately for her Mani had second thoughts about this item number.
When Bipasha heard this she got nervous. She was worried that she would become a joke in the industry. A source close to her reveals, “Bipasha had announced to all and sundry that she was playing the parallel lead in a Mani Ratnam film. This would definitely add to her market rate. But when she heard that the role was non-existent Bipasha realised she would become the laughing stock of the industry.
“Bipasha flew to Kerala and pleaded with Mani Sir not to talk to the press that she was never the first choice for the film. Initially angry at her behaviour Mani, later, understood her plight and obliged her.”
However, Mani was later shocked when he heard from the grapevine that Bipasha was claiming that Aishwarya had used her friendship with his wife to oust Bipasha from the film.
The source reveals, “Mani Sir doesn’t pay attention to gossip. He just laughed it off and remarked ‘if I let my wife and my heroines decide the cast of my film, I might as well let them direct the whole film’. Bipasha, apparently, has now become a joke on the set of the film.
