By Hindustan Times

Olympic medal winning boxer Vijender Singh’s Bollywood dreams may have just crash landed — because he’s no longer a bachelor.

Sources reveal that the 25-year-old Haryana boy, who was to make his big screen debut opposite actor Govinda’s daughter Narmmadaa Ahuja in a with the working title Manchali, has been dropped from the project following his recent wedding to Delhi girl Archana Singh.

“Vijender’s sudden marriage made the filmmakers feel that he’ll not enjoy the same popularity among female fans. So, they are re-thinking the cast and have started looking for another face,” says a source close to the unit of the film, who wished not to be identified.

The film’s launch was widely reported in March this year, and actor Govinda had confirmed Vijender’s debut with his daughter, saying, “Narmmadda’s co-star is boxer Vijender Singh, a good-looking chap.”

Now, the film’s director, Lovely Singh, denies that the casting was ever official. “We had never officially announced that Vijender will be in the film. We are working on the script and once that is final, we will finalise the cast.”

Vijender, who has been talking excitedly about his debut, has also done a U-turn. Refusing to confirm if he has indeed been dropped from the film, he says, “I have to concentrate on my boxing. Wait before you see me in films. Waise bhi itni garmi main kaun shoot karega?”

Commenting on the development, industry veteran Prahlad Kakkar says, “There is no denying that if a new actor gets married, the number of his potential female fans drops considerably”.

Filmmaker Shirish Kunder says, “I don’t think dropping someone from a project just because he’s got married is right. It is quite foolish in fact, considering all our successful male actors are married.”

Critic Taran Adarsh says, “It’s ridiculous to drop someone for this trivial reason. Even married girls get lead roles these days.”