Aishwarya Rai once shot for Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke with Suniel Shetty, see pics from shelved film

Aishwarya Rai and Suniel Shetty were once cast in Shashilal Nair’s film, Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke. However, the director reportedly opted out of the film midway and it ended up being shelved. As per reports, the film’s producer tried to rope in other directors to finish the film, but to no avail. Aishwarya was in the role of a garage owner in the film while Ashutosh Rana was in the role of half animal half human. Also read: Aishwarya Rai’s Ponniyin Selvan: I look is a hit with fans: ‘You look like a statue’

Aishwarya had even talked about working with Suniel and Sashilal in an interview to a newspaper. She had said, “Suniel is like one of the kids — he’s so very naughty. On screen we are perpetually at loggerheads, and off it too we are constantly ribbing each other. Shashi is also such a baby — very relaxed. He’s not a serious person. Work becomes a picnic with these two around.”

On being asked if she was playing a modern, westernised girl in the film, she had said, “Actually this is not very westernised. I’m just a regular garage owner. ain’t no bomb-shell.”

According to Sify.com, expressing his excitement on working in the film, Ashutosh had said, “It’s like living your childhood fantasy.” As per a report in Rediff, director Shashilal Nair opted out of the film when it was 75% complete, leading to it being stalled. The report stated that producer Rahul Gupta tried out a couple of other directors to complete it but with no success. At one point, director Lateef Binny was also attached to the film.

An unfortunate accident had also taken place on the sets of the film at an overseas location. Action-director Ravi Dewan of Jodhaa Akbar fame had once told Deccan Chronicle in an interview, “I remember I’d told a Hollywood guy Scott not to mount a camera on a raft when we were abroad shooting for the 2003-Suniel Shetty and Aishwarya Rai-film Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke. But he didn’t listen to me and the camera fell down and was never found again! That is where you need safety directors to come and insist on how it has to be done. No one listened to me because I was Indian.”

Aishwarya will now be seen in Mani Ratnam’s much-anticipated Ponniyin Selvan: I. Her first look was unveiled earlier this month. She plays Nandini as well as Mandakini Devi in the Mani Ratnam directorial.