Alia Bhatt backs out of Aanand L Rai's next starring Shah Rukh Khan?

After Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt too, has opted out of Aanand L Rai's next project starring Shah Rukh Khan, because of date issues, according to Bollywoodlife.com.A Catchnews source says that after Deepika opted out of the film because of her Padmavati commitments, Alia was almost finalised to be on board. It was reported that Alia would be playing a dwarf opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the film. However, due to unavailability of dates, Alia may not be able to take up the project.Deepika and Katrina were both approached for the role opposite Shah Rukh Khan, reports Pinkvilla. Deepika opted out due to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati, in which she will be seen with Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor. Katrina has already been signed on as one of the leads opposite Shah Rukh Khan, but the hunt for the second leading lady is still on, reports Bollywoodlife.A source from Aanand L Rai's team had earlier said that the female lead has not been finalised yet, and that casting is still underway. The director has said this role is one of the most challenging ones he has ever worked on, and that it is integral to the film, which is why it needs more prep time.According to Pinkvilla, Alia handled the situation in a mature manner by asking Shah Rukh to pick dates suitable for him from her calendar or excuse her from the project. Shah Rukh was impressed by the way Alia took the initiative and explained her side of the story to him.