# Abhay Verma denies Choomantar casting rumours 2026-08-26T07:53:29+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Actor Abhay Verma has dismissed reports that he was set to headline a sci-fi rom-com titled Choomantar, calling the buzz purely speculative. Speaking to News18, he said he has no association with any project by that name. "It's apparently not happening. There was a lot of follow-up news after the first rumour came about. It was quite surprising!" he said. The rumours had claimed that Tarun Dudeja would direct the film, with Ananya Panday initially as a co-star before Sreeleela and Janki Bodiwala were said to replace her. Abhay said he read articles about shoot dates and cast changes but was focused on his real projects. He added that he hopes someone eventually brings the concept to life, but for now, nothing is happening. Abhay's next release is 'King', alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji, slated for Christmas release. He is coming off the success of 'Munjya' and 'Operation Safed Sagar'. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Abhay Verma's denial puts the spotlight on how entertainment media can build a full production rumour around an untitled concept. The original buzz in August 2024 followed his sleeper hit 'Munjya', a horror-comedy that earned over Rs 100 crore at the box office. With 'Operation Safed Sagar' also receiving strong streaming numbers, Verma's profile has risen rapidly. His next verified project is a high-profile one: starring in a film headlined by Shah Rukh Khan, a rare break for a newcomer. The Christmas release slot suggests the production has secured a major theatrical window. For now, the only concrete next step is that 'King' begins its promotional cycle ahead of the December release, while Choomantar remains a non-starter. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com The article straightforwardly reports the actor's denial of rumours and his upcoming project, with no editorial slant. This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Abhay Verma, King, Shah Rukh Khan Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/abhay-verma-denies-choomantar-casting-rumours/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/abhay-verma-denies-choomantar-casting-rumours/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/