01 October,2016 02:03 PM IST | | Shilpi Sampad
'Raaz Reboot' debutante Kriti Kharbanda signed for 'Atithi' sequel after Lisa Haydon walked out of film at the last minute
Kriti Kharbanda and Lisa Haydon
Lisa Haydon's sudden exit from 'Atithi In London' had left director Abhishek Pathak fuming and fidgety about finding a replacement with the film almost ready to roll. And while his legal team is at work to send a notice to the Shaukeens actress, he has zeroed in on the one-film-old Kriti Kharbanda as leading lady. Kartik Aaryan plays the hero in the sequel to the 2010 comedy, Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge.
Kriti, who debuted with Emraan Hashmi-starrer Raaz Reboot that released a fortnight ago, did a screen test for Pathak's film last week. Says the director, "For us, it didn't matter if she was one-film-old. We were looking a pretty girl who can act and deliver a convincing performance. After her screen test, we knew we had found our actress. She looks perfect with Kartik."
The mahurat shot will be canned today and the shooting will begin by early next week. The story revolves around a young live-in couple (Kartik and Kriti) based in London and how they are at their wits' end following the entry of two uninvited guests, Paresh Rawal and Tanvi Azmi into their house.
Lisa reportedly pulled out of the film following marriage plans and a livid Pathak said her exit had caused a huge financial setback since the set construction and visa work had been completed. He, however, refrains from divulging details on the losses he has suffered.
"My legal team is now putting it together, so I cannot give you even an approximate figure. But, every plan, big and small, went for a toss (after Lisa walked out of the film)," he says.
