Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 11, 2018)

Since early this year, rumours were rife that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had given her nod to Jasmine, which revolves around a surrogate mother’s bond with her child. However, in May, Rai clarified that she had asked for changes in the script, basis which she would greenlight the project. In the latest development, mid-day has learnt that the film, which was to mark the directorial debut of writer duo Siddharth Singh and Garima Wahal, has been put on hold.

Producer Shree Narayan Singh reveals that though he is willing to bankroll the drama, things haven’t fallen into place. “Things were going downhill from the start — actors were announced before the script was ready. Then Siddharth-Garima got busy with Batti Gul Meter Chalu [that Singh has directed]. As a result, Jasmine kept getting pushed. The film is not happening in the near future.”

Buzz suggests that the decision comes in the wake of reports that Karan Johar’s Good News is based on a similar subject. “This subject can be approached from multiple angles,” says Singh, who is currently busy with Batti Gul Meter Chalu that revolves around electricity theft.