SRK walks out of Raju Hirani's next

Raj Kumar Hirani's next film with Shah Rukh Khan (to be produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra) appears to have stopped in its tracks, but it's not because SRK is upset about Chopra's tirade against Paheli.

Says a source, "Shah Rukh is upset because Chopra sent him a nasty letter accusing him of trying to steal 'his director' (Hirani) for his own production house!"

Playing games

Hirani's film, based on Chetan Bhagat's book Five Point Someone, has now been shelved as SRK doesn't want to be part of it any longer. Says a Chopra insider, "Raju is very keen to work with Shah Rukh. In fact, he had offered him both the Munnabhai films as well but it didn't work out then. Shah Rukh liked Hirani's new script and was trying to work his dates before things went wrong."

According to the source, SRK offered to star in and produce another film with Hirani under his banner, which upset Chopra. "SRK's offer was very clear: Red Chillies and Raj Kumar Hirani Productions would do a film together after Chopra's film was complete.

When Vinod came to know about this, he wasn't happy at all. So he dashed off a letter to SRK last week, accusing him of playing games and trying to steal Raju from under his nose. He said it was not right to broker a deal when his own film hadn't even started," says the source.

No deal

SRK, on his part, didn't understand what the fuss was about as his production was slated to start after Chopra's film was through. "He got angry with the tone of Chopra's letter because he has always been straightforward in all his dealings. He didn't like Chopra accusing him of playing games and questioning his integrity. He subsequently called Hirani and told him he couldn't do Chopra's film for him," says the source.

Both Shah Rukh and Vinod Chopra remained unavailable for comment.

Upala KBR, MidDayMumbai