Cast members of the romantic comedy "Desires of the Heart" promote the film at its premiere in Beijing on November 18, 2008. [Photo: ent.sina.com.cn]

The premiere of the comedy film "Desires of the Heart" in Beijing on Tuesday was marred by the no-show of one of its male leads.

The absence of Ge You, one of the best-known Chinese comedic actors, raised many eyebrows because there have been persistent media reports suggesting the actor didn't get along with the film's production team.

Director Ma Liwen refused to comment when asked if she invited Ge You to the premiere. Ma was quoted by Jfdaily.com as saying that she didn't want to talk about "unhappy things".

Shooting for "Desires of the Heart" began in 2006, but was soon halted for reasons that still remain unknown. Rumors prevail that the suspension was because of conflicts between Ge You and director Ma. When filming resumed four months ago, Ge You was no longer a member of the cast.

The film's plot, which was originally about the romance between Ge You and five women, was changed to involve five couples. Ge You's story is now only one part of the two-hour film.

Hollywood-based Chinese actress Vivian Wu, who plays Ge You's partner in the film, told Jfdaily.com that she regretted what happened to the crew. She admitted that she wouldn't have agreed to become involved if Ge You was not in the cast in the first place.

The film, which also stars Fan Bingbing, Guo Tao, Li Xiaolu, and Mei Ting, will open in theaters on Thursday.