By Subhash K. Jha, IANS

The buzz is that Bollywood's popular actress Rani Mukherjee has remained uncharacteristically aloof in Varanasi where she is shooting for Pradeep Sarkar's next film.

"After all the rumours and speculation, not to mention the recent run-in with the press in Varanasi, Rani has become wary of outside company. She's becoming increasingly family-oriented," a source from the location told IANS.

"Rani has her entire family of mother, father, brother and sister-in-law with her in Varanasi. All the time off camera is spent with them. In the evening when she packs up, she prefers to be with her family rather than the unit members," the source added.

Is Sarkar's much-discussed film, which also has Jaya Bhaduri, Konkona Sen Sharma, Abhishek Bachchan and Kunal Kapoor in pivotal roles, titled "Choodiyan"?

"No!" protests Rani.

"I don't know where that started from. Earlier, some Hindi newspapers mentioned it was 'anaam', meaning untitled. The newspapers then started calling it 'Anaam'. Now they've very helpfully named our film 'Choodiyan'. That probably started when some people saw Konkona and me dancing to a song wearing lots of bangles," said Rani from Varanasi.

As of now the film has no title. What it does have is a unit working on tenterhooks in the Hindu holy town. Almost everyone has a stomach infection, and it has nothing to do with the unit's food or the water. Even those who are eating their own food and drinking mineral water are suffering from a tummy bug!

Luckily for them the month-long Varanasi stint is about to end. The unit returns to Mumbai where Abhishek will now make himself a part of the plot.

Though it's largely believed that he has a supporting role in this ladies' picture, the truth is to the contrary.

"Abhishek has a full-length role opposite Rani. He plays a leading catalyst. His role is of a very noble and heroic character, even more so than the one he played in KANK ('Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna')," said a source.