/> Last week there was apparently a huge scene at Mumbai's international airport. According to eyewitnesses actor Randeep Hooda was seen involved in a heated argument with immigration officers who gently whisked him away to an office to avoid the gathering crowd of curious gawkers.

Further probe reveals quite a story. This one has got to belong straight in the book of the bizarre. Randeep Hooda who was to leave last week for Bangkok to shoot an ad for an automobile was apparently de-planed not once but twice within the same day because of a passport glitch.

Finally Randeep stayed back and Jimmy Shergil was rushed in lieu of Randeep. Presumably Jimmy's passport was in order.

Sounding extremely pissed off by the incident Randeep said, "I wasn't de-planed. My luggage was offloaded and I was forbidden from boarding, twice. I was to go to Bangkok. It was a very special ad because this was my first endorsement.

I had warned the corporate house behind the ad that my passport was valid in Bangkok for only two months. They said they'd take care of it. But when I reached the airport I was stopped at immigration, taken to the immigration officer for quizzing and then not allowed to fly. "

Randeep returned home. But within hours he was again told by the company that had contracted him for the ad to proceed to the airport and catch another flight later. But when the actor reached the airport six hours later he was again not allowed to travel.

Says Randeep, "It was quite annoying and embarrassing, really. I clearly told my hosts that my passport was not valid for the period required. They nonetheless insisted twice that they'd have the influence to pull it off. Anyway I am happy that the shooting of the ad didn't have to be called off because of my absence. "

The automobile company got Jimmy Shergil to fly down in Randeep's place at the last minute.

Says Randeep, "To his credit Jimmy called me up to ask what the problem was, When I explained what had happened he asked me if it was okay for him to do the ad. Only when I told him it was perfectly fine did Jimmy fly down. So I may have lost an ad but I gained a friend. "