"I can’t kiss a newbie"

The Gandinagar grapevine has it that the hit director-heroine duo of Yodha are at loggerheads just weeks ahead of its next film going on the floors.
This, after actress Nikita Thukral agreed to do AK 56, the next venture of director Omprakash Rao ��� who had earlier done AK 47 with Hat-trick Hero Shivrajkumar ��� to silence detractors spreading rumours about differences between them. Now, the speculation about their strained professional relationship seems to have come true and Nikita has walked out of the project.
���When I was in the US a few months ago, I heard rumours that Omprakash and I have differences. Later, when the director called me, I accepted to do AK 56 as he thought we were a hit combination, with Yodha doing well at the box office,��� says Nikita.
Everything was rosy until Nikita signed the film, with newcomer Siddharth being cast opposite her. ���We even had a photoshoot and Omprakash told me my role would be on par with the hero���s. I was obviously impressed. In fact, Omprakash banked on me as he didn���t have a big hero. But now, he wants me to do a smooching scene with the new hero, which was not acceptable to me,��� she asserts.
Did she back out of the film only because of the kissing scene? ���Kissing a new hero isn���t acceptable to me, especially when it���s not necessary. Omprakash explained that my screen time was reduced because it was to be an action-oriented film. But the director thinks that the kissing scene will be the highlight of the film. I don���t want him to use me as a prop. So, I decided not to be a part of the film.��� Would she be comfortable doing the same scene with more established actors? ���Forget me, even someone like Shivarajkumar wouldn���t have accepted to do such a scene,��� she laughs.
While the producer of AK 56, Babu, confirms that Nikita is still in the film, the actress thinks that Omprakash is being indecisive. ���I even heard from a close friend of mine that Omprakash was looking for another heroine when I had already signed the film,��� she alleges.
Now, Nikita will accept the role only if the director calls her and sorts things out. ���I���ve put down my conditions. Now, it���s his choice to rope me in or not,��� she says.
Nikita, however, has a couple of other Sandalwood projects in hand. ���I���ll soon start shooting for a film with Ganesh���s brother, Mahesh. The shooting for my next project, Mishama, will commence in December,��� she ends.