Apoorva Lakhia's last film, Ek Ajnabee, featured Arjun Rampal in the lead role, and he was to be in the directors up coming film Shootout At Lokhandwala, once again opposite Amitabh Bachchan.

However, Rampal has opted out from Lakhia's multi-star crime thriller. This is not due to differences with his would-be co-stars, it is more a matter of a difference with Lakhia, a difference of opinion.

Lakhia wanted to Rampal to take on a new look for his character, however it required Rampal to cut his hair short.

Here in lies the difference of opinion, while Lakhia saw it as a good idea, Rampal did not; he chose to lose the film rather than lose the tresses.

The film is supposed to go on floors in a few weeks and Arjun's departure means Lakhia will have to find a replacement quickly.

This is the second actor to opt out of the film, some time back Urmila Matondkar also opted out of the film.

Currently, the cast of this Sanjay Gupta production is Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Viveik Oberoi, Tusshar Kapoor, Rohit Roy and Shabbir Ahluwalia.