Alia, Deepika not part of 'Golmaal 4': Rohit Shetty

Director Rohit Shetty has clarified neither Alia Bhatt nor Deepika Padukone is starring in the fourth installment of his hit comedy franchise “Golmaal”.

B-town was abuzz with the news that either of the two Bollywood stars was on board for the Ajay Devgn-starrer.

Rohit refuted the reports, though he revealed Alia was keen to collaborate with him for something on the lines of “Golmaal 4”.

“I believe Alia is not free. She has two-three films so, she is not doing the film. Alia wants to do a film like ‘Golmaal 4’ but she has (other) movies to do. Deepika also is not doing the film. If I wanted to do work with her, I would have made something like ‘Chennai Express’,” Rohit told PTI.

The filmmaker worked with Deepika on romantic action comedy “Chennai Express” (2013), which also starred superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

The “Dilwale” director says he is in talks with a few actresses for “Golmaal 4” but isn’t keen on divulging their names.

“We will take from younger lot of actress. We are in talks but I can’t reveal anything.” The “Singham” helmer will start shoot for the fourth part in January next year.

“We will do that. We will start that in January after Ajay is done with ‘Shivaay’. “Golmaal 4” will be clashing with megastar Amitabh Bachchan-starrer “Aankhen 2” next Diwali.

On the clash, he says, “Let this Diwali get over. Let’s see what happens this Diwali. I am still making ‘Golmaal 4’.  It’s Diwali period so people will release films.”

Interestingly, this Diwali, Rohit’s close friend Ajay’s much-ambitious project “Shivaay” will fight it out with filmmaker Karan Johar’s “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”.

As for “Golmaal 4”, it marks the reunion of Rohit and Ajay after their hit films like “Bol Bachchan” and the “Singham” franchise.

The first film in the franchise was “Golmaal: Fun Unlimited”, which released in 2006. Besides Ajay, it also starred Sharman Joshi, Arshad Warsi, Sharman Joshi, Tusshar Kapoor, Paresh Rawal and Rimi Sen.