Producer blames it on 4,000-strong throng of admirers creating a security problem

Mallika Sherawat's visit to a village of snake charmers on Thursday night (October 14) in Uttar Pradesh, as part of her promotions for her upcoming flick Hisss, had to be cancelled because massive crowds that mobbed the actress' car.

Co-producer Govind Menon accompanied the actress her to a village in Uttar Pradesh, a couple of hours away from Noida, to visit a saperon ki basti (village of snake charmers) to discuss the issues facing the community.

Mallika with the snake charmers in Delhi yesterday afternoon and (right) Mallika in Hisss

Unfortunately, word got out that she would be visiting, By the time she arrived, thousands of people had gathered in the village.

Says Menon, "It was scary. Over 4000 people had gathered and it became a security hazard with only 30 cops present to tackle the situation. We had to literally escape with our lives that night."

He adds, "The roads are very narrow and only one car can travel at a time. The younger boys were going crazy and I didn't want to risk Mallika's safety by asking her to step out! I don't ever want to go to a place like that."

The other option

However, at Mallika's insistence, the snake charmers were invited to the Hissss promo launch at Noida on Friday to accompany the star as part of her entourage and to perform.

Govind says, "We brought the saperas from their village to a school ground in Delhi where the siren met and interacted with them."