Mallika Sherawat refuses to shoot item number with senior actors. Director films the actors while choreographer puts the actress through the paces, separately

Mallika Sherawat adds another tantrum to the list. Apparently for Shalu, an item number in Bin Bulaye Baraati, she refused to shoot with other actors.

Veteran actors like Gulshan Grover, Om Puri and others like Rajpal Yadav, Mukesh Tiwari and Johnny Lever were to be a part of the song. Most wouldn't be dancing, but would simply be watching Madame M dance.

This was the initial plan, but Mallika apparently, wanted to do the item number on her own, without these actors around.

Notes one of the actors, "It was shocking. We had gone for the shoot thinking we'd be filming together.

The choreographer Ganesh Acharya shook hands with us but when we went to get our make-up done, he had vamoosed. The film's director, Chandrakant Singh took over and directed the song."

As it turns out, Acharya had been pressurised to only choreograph Mallika on a separate day. A unit member says, "This must be historical. The other actors were shot separately and then added together with the item number."

However, there was a dance step which Mallika had to do with Aftab Shivdasani and Priyanka Kothari. The source adds, "That was one shot Mallika agreed to do with them and that was done on a later date."

Ganesh confirms that he shot separately with Malli but denies that she demanded it. "There was no such problem. Mallika was supposed to shoot alone with the rest of the actors joining her at the end of the song."

Gulshan confirms that he shot separately with other actors but expressed ignorance on the reason. "Om Puri, Mukesh and I shot separately along with many other actors.

I don't know about the reason. It could be due to convenience, time constraints, cost cutting or date problems. But it was a bit strange to shoot separately, " he says.

The film is scheduled to release on 8 July 2011. A source close to Mallika states that she never put forth any such condition.

The Tantrum queen

>> Mallika threw tantrums on the reality show Chak Dhoom Dhoom and was later shown the door.

>> Had issues wearing a bikini in Double Dhamaal.

>> Reportedly gave Kangna Ranaut the cold shoulder while working on Rascals.