New dad Shahid opts out of Padmavati as he extends paternity leave?

It seems that newly blessed papa Shahid Kapoor is in no mood to return to work. Apparently, Shahid has decided to extend his paternity leave a little more than planned earlier. The actor feels that the time he gets to spend with his newborn baby and his wife needs to be treasured.

The one project likely to be affected by this decision is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati, which is slated to begin shooting in September. With Shahid extending his paternity leave, the hunt for a leading man opposite Deepika Padukone (with Ranveer Singh as the antagonist) begins all over again.

Says a source close to the development, “Shahid hadn’t actually signed the contract. But he had agreed verbally to play Deepika’s husband in Padmavati. So officially, if he decides to extend his paternity leave, he is not really opting out. He never said he was doing the film. So where is the need to explain his departure?” According to this source there is another problem with Shahid being paired with Deepika.

“You see, Deepika is a lot taller than Shahid, and the difference in their height would be very conspicuous. How would it look if the king doesn’t match the height of his queen?” asks the source.

We will have to mull over that one.