Purab walks out of 'Jassi...'

If one was to put it in the lingua franca of office, Sameer Soni has put in his papers at Tony Singh's desk. Plainly put, Soni has made it clear to the producers of Sony's Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin that he wants to quit the show. "I am frustrated. They have brought me back four times with hype and hoopla, and everytime the character soon looses its fizz. I don't want to remain a sidekick. I have asked them to terminate my character in some way or the other. My contract with them expires in July, but I have requested them to attend to my annoyance and relieve me before that. I have even informed the director Imtiaz," revealed Purab of Jassi.... Since the story has gone linear after Jassi's transformation to Jessica, many characters have not been too happy with the show. Rajesh Khera (Maddy) and Shabnam (secretary at Gulmohur House) called it a day. Recently, we heard, Maninee De (Pari) was not too happy with the way her character was going and stopped shooting after she spoke to the channel, who in turn convinced her that her track would return in a meatier way some time later. Parmeet Sethi too isn't too happy, but that's more for money. Back to Soni. As a creative actor too, Soni is quite dissatisfied, "I and Nandini (Neena Gupta) were the two main eye-witnesses to Jassi's transformation. I was not asked for any opinion when the hi-drama of the courtroom scene (the court case where Jessica is accused of killing Jassi) was going on. Would you believe that I didn't even shoot for the court scenes? Whatever you saw, was taken elsewhere; just the face shots were taken with the required expressions," adding, "I am supposed to give 12 days to Jassi... but last month I was asked to report for just 5 days, this month just for 7 days, that means 12 days in two months instead of one." Soni continues, "Even those few days which they have been calling me, has been for just an hour or two. Plus they have asked me to keep certain number of days free, but later cancelled a day or two from that set. At this rate, I don't know how I can take up work." Again he questions the creativity behind the show. "Pray, tell me if something happens to Jassi, would Purab be a prime suspect? Viola! Next week Jassi will be shot at and Purab is going to be the prime suspect," he grimaces. "Actually my character was not in the original Betty La Fea. My character was supposed to last for just four episodes.Incidentally, it became very popular. But this does not imply that I will be used in a way which is terribly annoying," he signs off, adding, "I have been offered work by Balaji, but I have not yet taken a call on that." Apart from Jassi..., Soni is presently doing Dil Kya Chahta Hai (Star One) and Anything But Love (a play opposite Mandira Bedi).