A section of the media is playing a strange and damaging game -- announcements about a big star are made one week, but the week after there's another declaration that she doesn't feature in the said film and spread the rumour to get publicity.

Two recent victims have been Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai. While Priyanka was said to have signed up for an RK Film, Aishwarya was reported to have been acting in a Shekhar Kapur film on the Buddha with Brad Pitt.

"Do I really need this kind of publicity?" asks Priyanka, riding high after "Aitraaz".

"A section of the media wrote I've been signed for an RK Film when I haven't met anyone from that banner. Then, without waiting for either my confirmation or denial they contacted Mr Rishi Kapoor to get him to deny that I had been signed by their banner. The whole thing made me look like some role hungry liar who makes up stories about being signed for prestigious projects.

"Why do I need to make up assignments when I've so many authentic ones with top banners like Subhash Ghai and Rakesh Roshan? And if someone writes something why should I immediately jump to issue a clarification? If I did so that's all I'd be doing all day long. Unfortunately, some media persons misconstrue silence to be approval. If I shrug off one lie written by the press then the next salvo makes me look like scheming and manipulating."

Aishwarya echoes her views.

"I can't spend my life denying the things that are said about me. Everyone presumes I'm doing this or the other film when in fact I haven't said yes to any new film. What do I do? Give press releases about the films I am NOT doing?"

"I was amused to see an announcement for a Buddha film to be directed by Shekhar Kapur. Brad Pitt's name was also announced. The next thing I know, a Mumbai daily gets Mr Kapur to say I haven't been signed. And I'm blasted for keeping mum! What do I do to stop producers or the press from using my name? Get my name copyrighted?"

One supposes the price of stardom is slander. Time after time, the media has been at loggerheads with stars who don't make themselves fully accessible to the press. In the 1970s, Amitabh Bachchan was off-press for a few years.

They happily dunked his reputation in mud. In recent times, Salman Khan has kept the press at an arm's length.

But most stars who keep the media off-limits pay a price for their non-cooperation. Priyanka and Aishwarya's 'crime' isn't inaccessibility. It's success.