Anirban Das (MID-DAY; March 15, 2016)

Aarya Babbar was all set to shoot for director Aryeman Ramsay’s upcoming film, Yeh Kaisa Khiladi in which he was to essay the role of a police officer. However, the actor is no longer a part of the project. Reason? He refused to shave his beard.

“He was supposed to get rid of his beard for the film as he was playing a cop. Suddenly, I am told that he is not ready to do so because it will hamper his character Raavan’s continuity on the TV show, Sankat Mochan Mahabali Hanuman. We had no option but to drop him. I am trying to find a replacement now,” informs Aryeman.

With the actor being dropped at the last minute, the shoot of the film has been delayed. “He was supposed to start shooting on March 12 and I was informed about his refusal to shave off his beard around March 9 or 10,” adds the director.

However, Babbar has a different story to narrate. The actor insists that he wasn’t ousted from the project but left it. He says, “The makers never gave it to me in writing that I will have to shave my beard. I was informed just a week before we were to start shooting. I think an actor is chosen because of his acting ability and not because of his facial hair. Raavan is a hit character; I would not trim a beard for a film whose future is uncertain”.

The actor further claims that the makers have not signed a contract with him. “There is no legal document which states that Aarya Babbar is doing the film. Yes, they had given me a signing amount but the day it became clear that I wouldn’t do the project, I was man enough to return the money.”

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 26, 2016)

After his turn as the bumbling Pappiji in the Tanu Weds Manu films, Deepak Dobriyal is set to play an Akshay Kumar fan in Aryeman Ramsay's next, Yeh Kaisa Khiladi. While the film's team is in talks with Akki for a special song, Deepak starts shooting for the film's first schedule in Agra soon. "My character imitates Akshay and is a Khiladi in his own way. It's going to be challenging but I'm glad to be part of it," says the actor.

Will he be doing action sequences like his screen idol? "A Khiladi film is incomplete without stunts. I will begin training with an action expert soon," Deepak reveals, adding that he loved the first Khiladi, which featured Akki alongside Ayesha Jhulka, International Khiladi and Main Khiladi Tu Anari. Quiz him about his leading lady and he says, "We're still in talks but model-actress Bidita Bag is most likely to be roped in for the role."