Ananya Panday has reportedly stepped out of ‘Choomantar’ which is the upcoming fantasy romantic drama starring Abhay Verma. Reports say that the decision comes after it became clear that the film’s shooting schedule would collide directly with her dates for ‘Call Me Bae 2’. The makers, who were earlier planning to start filming in January 2026, recently reassessed their lineup when Panday’s commitments stretched into the same period.A source from Mid Day says that the ‘Choomantar’ team was aiming to start filming in January 2026, but that clashes with ‘Call Me Bae 2’, which recently started shooting. So, Ananya and the filmmakers decided to part ways, with the hope of working together soon in the future.With this, Panday’s association with another Maddock Films project has been put on hold for now.

Makers bring in a new lead pair opposite Abhay Verma

Following Ananya’s exit, the makers have reportedly moved swiftly to restructure the cast. The team has now brought in South actress Sreeleela and Gujarati star Janki Bodiwala (‘Vash’ fame) to join Abhay Verma.Reportedly a mock shoot with the new cast took place last week. Reports say that the fantasy romantic drama has been in development for several months, and workshops are likely to begin next week.Abhay Verma, who shot to fame after the sleeper hit ‘Munjya’ (2023), continues to anchor the film amid the casting changes. Meanwhile, Ananya Panday is fully focused on her upcoming project titled ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu’. She was last seen in the Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Kesari Chapter 2’ which received good reviews from the audiences and turned out to be a decent hit.