Mumbai: While Nikhil Advani's eagerly awaited Salaam-E-Ishq is near completion, there is one thing preventing it from reaching the finish line. It's missing one of it's principal actors, and maybe for some time as he has still not given his dates.

Now, you might be surprised to know the actor in question is none other than Karan Johar, who, unfortunately, is currently in New York.

In the meantime, Nikhil is busily editing and re-editing what he does have of the film on celeuloid. "That process will continue until the film hits the theatres. And even then everyone will have to drag me out kicking and screaming because I'll be there with my scissors trying to put finishing touches until the release date on February 25, 2007" he says.

If your scratching your head and saying "February 25 is a Thursday, isn't it?", the filmmakers reply to that is, "I want to give Salaam-E-Ishq a long Republic Day weekend. It is better to start from Thursday so we'll have a four-day weekend for the film to find its level."

Interestingly Nikhil's first film, the Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta starrer Kal Ho Na Ho was also released on a Thursday. "That was to cash in on the Eid weekend. Our industry really needs to get out of the Friday-to-Friday mind-set," he says.

Coming back to the subject of Karan Johar's dates, Nikhil explains, "Priyanka Chopra in her segment of the film plays a huge Karan Johar fan. Karan is required in three telephonic conversation scenes. It's a small but important appearance."

Hopefully, Karan will find the time to do the much needed scenes very soon.