Raima Sen, Anjan Dutt and Riya Sen at the launch of The Bong Connection. A Telegraph picture

The Sen-sational casting coup hasn?t quite come off. Riya Sen is no longer a part of Anjan Dutt?s crossover project The Bong Connection. Date problems and changed schedules have meant that Raima will be the only Sen in the film, also starring Shayan Munshi, Parambrata Chatterjee, Soumitra Chatterjee, Victor Banerjee among others. And expectedly, the Bong vs Bong battle has been nothing short of bombastic.

Dutt speak

I had written this particular role (Rita) with Riya in mind and had thought of her even before Raima. Casting the Sen sisters together for sensationalism was never a point. I have always maintained that given the right role, Riya might surprise, something she hasn?t yet done as an actress. I had even offered her an important role in Bow Barracks Forever, which she turned down saying she wouldn?t like to play the second lead.

This time, when we met in September last year, Riya was ready to do it and she verbally agreed to give her dates in March for the US shooting leg. Then in end-October, when we were making the shooting schedule, she came up with various other issues like travel and logistics which were finally mutually agreed upon. I went out of my way and budget to accommodate her.

Next, she said that she wouldn?t be able to shoot from March 15 ? as decided earlier ? as the dates were clashing with a Mukta Arts film. This was in November and she literally dropped out of our project saying that she wasn?t interested anymore. We started looking for a replacement but in December, Riya herself called back saying that if we could adjust the schedule she would love to be a part of Bong Connection.

We did accordingly, pushing back the dates and changing the whole schedule which involves a lot of known American actors apart from Victor Banerjee. Riya said she would be in the US by March 22, so that we could have a small workshop for a couple of days before starting. She signed the contract specifying the dates needed from her. Everything went fine from then on and we even flew her down from Mumbai for the launch of the movie in Calcutta.

Just before leaving for Mumbai, Riya called up again saying that she cannot be in the US by March 22 since a senior actor?s dates have changed in the Mukta Arts film. It was not only a breach of commitment, I found it very unprofessional on her part. I cannot keep compromising with my film if she is not that committed to the project. In my three films, I have worked with the likes of Shabana Azmi, Victor Banerjee, Lillete Dubey, Irrfan? I have never had problems with any of them.

Her sister Raima has been very professional and extremely accommodating. Even her mom (Moon Moon) has been extremely friendly and such a delight to work with in Bow Barracks. And I have really tried my best to work with Riya but this can?t go on. I don?t think the film will suffer because of her ouster but it does leave a bad taste in the mouth. At no point of time did I feel that I was dealing with an actress? I was dealing with a star.

Sen speak

Riya chose not to speak about her ouster from The Bong Connection just saying: ?They (the makers) want all the publicity, I don?t. It?s their loss. I don?t want to talk about it.? But her mother Moon Moon Sen had a lot to say?

Let?s not bring Riya into this since it was me who got her to agree to do the film. She had worked with Anjan for a telefilm and had liked working with him. Anjan has been a family friend. He had been calling me for a long time saying how he wants to cast the two sisters together. So, I got Riya to say yes to The Bong Connection.

Now, she has genuine date problems with Sangeeth Sivan (director of the Mukta Arts Film Money Money Money). The dates were clashing right from the beginning and it was being worked out. If Riya doesn?t do that climax sequence, she is out of that film.

The whole industry exists on adjustments. Tony (Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury) pushed back his film (Anuranon) by one month because Rahul Bose had signed another film. This keeps happening in the industry.

Despite everything, Riya did adjust her dates. The contract said that she had to shoot in the last week of March and that the dates were mutually negotiable. So she got permission from Sangeeth Sivan to finish two days earlier and head for the US for the shoot. The workshop or rehearsal Anjan is insisting upon could have been done here. She is not doing anything now.

It was very unethical of Anjan to do something like this. Now, he?s got a very big producer and he can afford to do something like this. I can understand why he?s doing all this. His second film Bow Barracks is yet to release. He needs all the publicity he can get from this.