Chinese starlet Zhang Ziyi may be winning acclaim abroad but she has been booed by fans at home after failing to appear at a promotion event for Wong Kar-wai's new film "2046", press reports said.
 
Zhang, one of the main stars in the eagerly-awaited film, was said to be busy filming in Hollywood and has been absent from the whirlwind promotion tour for the movie in Shanghai.

The sci-fi film came away without any major prize but was the toast of the Cannes film festival in France earlier this year.

Despite Zhang's absence, organisers have been playing clips of her as well as other actors in the film. While all the other actors drew cheers and applause, the actress was singled out with loud boos, said Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao.

Tony Leung, another of the film's leading actors, however, still had to bear the brunt of the audience's displeasure on stage in Shanghai ahead of the premier of the film two nights ago, said the Chinese-language daily.

When asked what it was like working with Zhang, the disgruntled fans also tried to drown out his reply with loud boos, with one even shouting, "Don't talk about her. Don't waste time."

Zhang is known for her roles in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "House of Flying Daggers" and "Hero", which spent two weeks at the top of the box office in North America.

She basked in the limelight at Cannes earlier this year and was listed as one of People magazine's 50 most beautiful women in 2002.

(Agencies September 24, 2004)