Mallika's next film Murder was accompanied by the same doze of steamy scenes. And she lived up to her reputation by giving bold press statements. Again, the audience lapped it up.

Only this time, not everyone gave her credit.

Co-stars Emraan Hashmi and Ashmit Patel felt cheated as they sensed that Mallika had unfairly hogged all the credit for the film's success.

Hashmi, nephew of the film's producer Mahesh Bhatt, was so upset that Vishesh Films [Bhatt's production banner] has decided not to work with Mallika again.

The problems did not end there. Ashmit and Mallika had a showdown when the former tried to pull off a bakra on Mallika. Apparently, choreographed by Channel [V], Ashmit telephoned Mallika, under cover, and called her all sorts of names. He even asked to sleep with her.

It resulted in a furious Mallika staging a walkout from the channel's event.