A new film that was quietly building buzz in Bollywood has now hit a pause button. Actor Rani Mukerji has stepped away from Oh My Goddess, a film that was expected to bring her together with Akshay Kumar under the direction of Amit Rai.

The film had gained attention earlier when the 58-year-old actor wished the 47-year-old actress on the release of Mardaani 3 and called her a “goddess” in his message. 

“Go watch the goddess of acting in her most powerful avatar. I saw it, I loved it. Don’t miss it,” he had written. Many saw this as a subtle confirmation that the two actors would soon share the screen.

But things behind the scenes did not go smoothly.

Sources say the Hicki star was indeed confirmed for the film and pre-production was already underway. 

However, the actor and director Amit Rai reportedly developed creative differences while discussing the script and the film’s presentation. 

The Mardaani lead had her own way of looking at the project, including thoughts on the post-production process, while Rai had a strong vision of his own.

“The duo eventually could not gel well, leading to a fall-out of sorts,” a source said.

The Sky Force actor reportedly tried to bring both sides together, but the team felt the film needed the right energy. 

The source further said, “Rani, too, had her reservations, and the two senior actors, like true professionals, decided to amicably part ways on Oh My Goddess.”

The project, which was expected to begin shooting in April and is backed by Viacom18, is now stalled for the moment.