Subhash K Jha / Sify.com

Mumbai, Jan 18: The release of Kalpana Lajmi's eagerly-awaited Chingari has been postponed from December to January. It may be pushed further.

"I don't know when I'll be able to release my film ….I can't until my leading lady Sushmita Sen decides to promote and project the film. She's not just my USP , but also the film's whole and soul. Chingari without Sush is like Agra without the Taj Mahal. You cannot imagine the film without her. She's as integral to it as Shabana Azmi in Arth or Dimple Kapadia in Rudaali. I can't take the film to the audience without her."

What Kalpana is reluctant to spell out is that Sushmita has rightly taken offence to the Mid-day story where she was shown kissing the film's romantic lead who bragged about how many re-takes he did for that sequence.

"I've repeatedly tried to contact Sush to explain my point of view. I had nothing to do with what the film's romantic lead had to say. He denies having said anything. But I know him better. I don't want to say anything about him now. My film is in enough trouble. I'm a small filmmaker. As it is my film is in deep financial trouble. I can't bear any more delays."

Kalpana has made repeated efforts to contact Sushmita. But in vain. "Though I've spoken to her mom and been in touch with her sister through SMS, I haven't been able to speak to Sush."

Sounding utterly bereft and on the verge of tears Kalpana doesn't know whom to blame for the current impasse with the leading lady. "I don't blame Sushmita at all for getting annoyed. She's a lady of great dignity. And by speaking like that, my romantic lead has made her feel compromised. As a woman and a sensitive filmmaker I completely empathize with her. But she shouldn't punish the film for the wrongs of an individual."

Kalpana is willing to apologize publicly to her leading lady. "Though I'm in no way responsible for what happened I apologize to Sush. All said and done the director is responsible for everything that happens to the film".

The latest development is that Sushmita has decided to be her habitually gracious self and is seriously considering giving Kalpana the time to promote Chingari.