Chinese Superstar Jet Li is not working in "Kabali" opposite megastar Rajinikanth, media reports said Saturday. A source close to the makers of the movie has confirmed that the Chinese martial arts expert is not a part of the movie. "It's just a rumor that has been going around. The team did think of bringing an international actor on board, but it definitely wasn't Jet Li," the source told Indo Asian News Service (IANS).

The source clarified that the makers wanted to rope an international actor to play the negative role in the movie but things didn't work out. There have been reports that Li would be playing the bad guy opposite Rajinikanth in the gangster drama.

"While Chinese star Jet Li is on top of their minds, they have also met Donnie Yen ('Ip Man series'), Winston Chao ('Zhong Kui: Snow Girl' and 'The Dark Crystal'), Simon Yam ('Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life'), Jiang Wen ('Gone With The Bullets') and Chow Yun Fat ('Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End') in the last couple of weeks," a source said last week, according to The Times of India.

Directed by Pa Ranjith and Kalaipuli S. Thanu, "Kabali" also stars Radhika Apte, Dhanshika. Dinesh, Kalaiyarasan, John Vijay, Rythiwika in key roles, according to India Today.

The gangster drama is scheduled to hit the theaters on Tamil New Year (April 14).