Rasha Thadani steps down from Lijo Jose Pellissery–Hansal Mehta romance drama: Report

Rasha Thadani steps down from upcoming project

Rasha Thadani, who made her big-screen debut with Azad, has been steadily emerging as a promising new face in Indian cinema. But even as her career gears up with multiple upcoming projects, the young actress has reportedly stepped back from what could have been one of the most high-profile films of her early career — Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Bollywood debut.

According to Pinkvilla, Rasha was among the top contenders to headline Pellissery’s romantic drama, produced by Hansal Mehta. However, the actress has declined the opportunity despite being deeply interested in the script.

According to a source close to the development, scheduling conflicts were the primary reason behind her decision.

The source was quoted saying, “Rasha was the top contender for Hansal Mehta and Lijo Jose Pellissery's upcoming romantic drama. The film, which was announced in October, has been the talk of the town, and while Rasha was approached by the makers, unfortunately there is a date clash due to which she is not able to take on a script she truly loved.”

As per the report, her current commitments have taken precedence. The shoot for her next film, Laikey Laikaa, has been delayed, requiring her to allocate additional weeks to wrap up her remaining portions. Once this project is completed, Rasha is expected to begin work on her South cinema debut, where she will star alongside Jaya Krishna Ghattamaneni, nephew of Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu.

The romantic drama she has opted out of marks a significant milestone for filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery, who recently helmed the Mohanlal-starrer Malaikottai Vaaliban. His Bollywood debut, co-produced with Hansal Mehta under Amen Movie Monastery and True Story Films, has already generated substantial interest. Written by Pellissery and Karan Vyas, the film is described as a lyrical exploration of love, longing, and the emotional complexities that bind people together. The soundtrack will be composed by Academy Award-winning music director AR Rahman.

While the female lead remains unconfirmed following Rasha’s exit, industry chatter suggests that Rajkumar Hirani’s son Vir Hirani or actor Zahan Kapoor may play the male lead.

Meanwhile Rasha will next be seen in Laikey Laikaa, a romantic drama co-starring Munjya actor Abhay Verma. She is also gearing up for her Telugu debut in the tentatively titled AB4, directed by RX100 fame Ajay Bhupathi and presented by Kalki 2898 AD producer Ashwini Dutt.