In 2012, Sudhir Mishra had announced his passion project, Mehrunissa, which was to unite Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor on screen. While it was subsequently rechristened Pehle Aap Janab, the ill-fated project did not go on floors in the years that followed.

With Kapoor's demise earlier this year, the filmmaker regrets missing the opportunity to work with the veteran actor. "Till the end, Rishi ji kept telling me, 'Let's make the movie'. That it didn't get made is one of my biggest regrets. I have the script; Nikkhil Advani was to be the producer. Now, we will try and re-imagine the film," says Mishra.

While Mehrunissa originally revolved around two men falling in love with the same woman, the script was tweaked in light of the title change, with the story emphasising the friendship between two men in Lucknow.

The director reveals that he will go back to the writing table to reimagine Pehle Aap Janab in Kapoor's absence. "I can't imagine anyone in Rishi Kapoor's place. So, now, the story has to be rewritten; the central idea may be partially retained," says the director, who is currently developing a web series set in 1840. Mishra's last directorial venture, Serious Men featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, earned rave reviews.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 16, 2014)

Mirror was the first to report that Sudhir Mishra and Chitrangda Singh have parted ways after a decade-long collaboration as mentor and muse (June 3, 2014).

Now, we have learnt that the director is starting a film, a political romance set in the Northern hinterland, in September. However, the film won't be toplined by Chitrangda, who has previously worked with the director in Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Inkaar and Yeh Saali Zindagi.

Confirming the same, Mishra told Mirror, "I need a younger actress for this story. I haven't finalised my cast yet but Chitrangada (she's in her late 30s) is definitely not a part of this project as the role doesn't suit her."

Hasn't he had a fallout with the actress? "There are minor altercations in every partnership. We have sorted them out. If I have a suitable role for her in future, I will definitely approach her. Whether she takes it up or not, is Chitrangada's decision."

She has refused his offers in the past. "I had a role for her but she didn't like it and the film was never made. It's her prerogative to say no," he says.

The actress recently divorced her golfer-husband Jyoti Randhawa. Does he have any advice for her? "My equation with Chitrangada is purely professional and not social. So, I really had nothing to contribute on this subject," he retorts.

Quizzed on rumours about an affair between them, Mishra laughs and says gossip amuses him. "I'm a single man who has always been very open about his relationships. I'm not hiding in a closet. If I were in a relationship with Chitrangada, or anyone else, I would openly acknowledge it," he maintains.

Contrary to popular perception, the director insists that his film, Pehle Aap Janab, featuring Rishi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Chitrangada, has not been shelved. "There is no change in the primary cast, but the scale of the film has become bigger. So the script is undergoing several changes. Nikhil Advani is the producer and the co-writer. We will flag off the film after I wrap up my next project," says Mishra. 

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 3, 2014)

Muses are hard to find in Bollywood and a director's search for inspiration is a constant one. Sudhir Mishra got lucky in 2003 when he met Chitrangda Singh and he went on to cast her in some of his most talked about films in the decade since.

Chitrangda has always been vocal about Mishra's contribution to her career, even saying in interviews that the director, who gave her a "dream debut" with Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, is the most influential person in her life.

But as they say, all good things come to an end. All is not well between Chitrangda Singh and her mentor Sudhir Mishra. Buzz is, the actress and the filmmaker are not on talking terms anymore.  After launching her in Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi in 2003, the filmmaker and the actress collaborated again on Yeh Saali Zindagi in 2011 and Inkaar in 2013.

But now, Chitrangda has decided that she needs to consider offers from other banners and not wait for Mishra to put his much-delayed Mehrunissa on floors. Mishra had announced Mehrunissa two years ago and then reworked on it and titled it Pehle Aap Janab.

The plot then went from being heroine-centric to a story of two friends. Earlier, the story revolved around an actor (to be played by Chitrangda) in the 1960's and traced her life over three decades. Then Mishra added Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor to the cast to play warring friends who eventually resolve their differences. But till date, there is no news when Mishra will put the film on floors.

A friend of Chitrangda said, "Chitrangda said 'No' to certain films because Mishra kept telling her that she should concentrate on Pehle Aap Janab."

Friction between the two set in when she did a song-and-dance number in Shirish Kunder's Joker (2012) which did not go down well with Mishra, who was also not too kicked about her glamorous avatar in Desi Boyz (2011).

It reached a flashpoint recently, when Chitrangda told Mishra that his interference was making her claustrophobic. "She could not take it any longer. Enough is enough," added her friend.

Chitrangada and Mishra remained unavailable for comment.

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; March 20, 2014)

With his long- in-the-pipeline project Pehle Aap Janaab — earlier titled Mehrunissa, and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor — now put on the backburner, Sudhir Mishra has decided to revive Dhruv which was also put on hold.

Says a source, “He is currently reworking the script of Pehle Aap Janab and is determined to make the film. The project created a lot of buzz initially for its casting and later for its production issues. Though he is keen to see Pehle Aap Janab go on the floors, he also feels that he should make another film in the meantime.”

Dhruv, a contemporary political thriller, will apparently feature the filmmaker’s muse, Chitrangada Singh, and Rahul Bhat (left, in picture), who is best remembered for his role in the TV show, Heena, a decade ago besides his B-Town outing, Nayee Padosan (2003). Incidentally, Rahul also stars in Anurag Kashyap’s film, Ugly.

There was initial buzz about Dhruv in 2009 and at that time Mishra was keen to cast Kareena Kapoor in it. There was also speculation that Farhan Akhtar would star in the film and produce it as well. Dhruv was again in the news in 2012 when Mishra reportedly stated that he would start shooting it after finishing Pehle Aap Janab. However, the two projects did not happen and Mishra went on to make the Arjun Rampal- Chitrangada Singh starrer, Inkaar, which released last year.

Mishra remained unavailable for comment.