If James Bond were Indian, the question doing the rounds would be something of a tongue twister.

Kya Bana Bond banega?

But rumours have a licence to spill.

After two days of speculation that Eric Bana would be cast as the new, improved version of the debonair British spy, the answer is clear.

Nahin. Nyet. No.

ComingSoon.net said on Monday that Bana, 35, has not been cast as Bond in MGM and Eon Productions' new film, which reportedly sees 007 on a mission to save the world from a killer virus.

Bana, the dashing star of Black Hawk Down, The Hulk and Troy, had not even been approached for the role. 

No one is more flabbergasted than the former stand-up comic.

'I haven't got a bloody clue. It's kinda baffling to me,' the Australian actor -- who has Bosnian origins, we hear -- said on the breakfast radio show Nova.

The British tabloid News of the World said the actor was negotiating with the series producers and that he would take over from Irish star Pierce Brosnan. The same reports said he had beaten actors Jude Law and Ewan McGregor for the role.

Photograph: Getty Images