Even as news of Aishwarya Rai taking over J.P. Dutta's "Umrao Jaan" from Priyanka Chopra reaches showbiz shores, there's news that Priyanka has found a way to equal her score with Ms. 'Tulip' Rai.

The 'Aitraaz' girl has replaced Rai in Rohan Sippy's Abhishek Bachchan-Riteish Deshmukh caper "Bluff Master".

Another shocking aspect of this sudden switch from one beauty queen to another is that Aishwarya wasn't informed about her ouster from this project! In fact, while in Amsterdam for the Indian International Film Academy (IIFA) awards, she had been quite excited about going back to Mumbai for doing Rohan Sippy's film.

All of Ash's and this writer's efforts to contact the director were stonewalled.

When informed about this sudden change in the film's cast, Aishwarya was genuinely shocked and disbelieving.

"How can that be? I've finalised everything, given Rohan the dates he wanted. Of course I don't have a written contract with them. But does one need to sign formal papers with friends?

"Maybe I've got to learn to be more practical and business-minded. In Amsterdam, Abhishek and I were talking about what fun it would be to shoot together again. And now, this? No, there's got to be some serious communication error," said a disbelieving Ash.

And by now Ash is genuinely upset. "I ran into Rameshji (Rohan's dad and producer Ramesh Sippy) a while back and we spoke about the project. How can Rohan do this? We're friends. We had so much fun doing "Kuch Na Kaho". That's why there was absolutely no hesitation in me about being in his second film."

But all that was till the time Ash left for London to shoot for "Provoked".

What happened in the interim?

Shrugged Priyanka Chopra: "I've no clue if anyone was approached before me. All I'm concerned with is what I've been offered. And 'Bluff Master' seemed like a great deal of fun. Since some of the dates for Rakesh Roshan's "Krissh" got cancelled (due to Hrithik's accident), I decided to use them for 'Bluff Master'.

"I'd get to work with Abhishek for the first time, just as I'm getting to work with Shah Rukh in Farhan Akhtar's 'Don' for the first time. After Akshay and Arjun I need to work with more co-stars who suit me.

"Was Ash really offered 'Bluff Master' first? I wouldn't know."

This isn't the first time that a role has come to Priyanka after considering Ash for the same.

Ash had more or less been finalised for "Krissh". Even her dates and the fee had been negotiated. On the night before she was to leave for Bangkok with the unit, she was told she needn't go. Priyanka was doing the film.

And Pritish Nandy Communications' "Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam" to be directed by Rituparno Ghosh was to originally feature Aishwarya Rai in the coveted role of the haunted chhoti bahu (younger daughter-in-law) whose abject loneliness drives her to self-destructive alcoholism.

The role now sits in Priyanka Chopra's dainty lap.

Says Priyanka: "This interchange in roles happens all the time in this industry. When Sajid Nadiadwala launched 'Jaan-e-Man' after 'Mujhse Shaadi Karogi' to be directed by Shirish Kunder, everyone presumed I'd be cast along with Salman and Akshay. When Preity was signed, Sajid had the decency to call me and express his regret."

But right now Rai is truly aggrieved. Her hurt is palpable: "I've always been thoroughly professional, and a true friend to my friends."