RE: August 2007 - News - 7

Play it again, Bollywood

The Hindi film industry has been remaking films for eons. But plundering its own back catalogue of classic films and unleashing two remakes - "Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag" and "Victoria No. 203" - on the same day will be a first even for Bollywood.

The much hyped "Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag" and "Victoria No. 203" are reportedly set to clash on the marquees on Friday. Varma's film has been much in news as the director has chosen to base his fable on Indian cinema's most widely appreciated film "Sholay".

From the unforgiving terrains of the Chambal valley, Varma has transported the original "Sholay", which was an Indian version of a Western cowboy tale, to the city.

The film has been creating a buzz from the word go and its stylised promos. It will get off to a good start given the curiosity to watch Amitabh Bachchan reinterpret the role of Gabbar, which was immortalised by Amjad Khan, as Babban.

According to reports, the film is expected to garner the highest opening for any Varma film. And in B centres people are mistaking it to be a soft porn flick and are expected to flock for the opening.

Varma's movies have always been in the vortex of controversies though he has a steady fan following carved by remaking his Tamil movie "Shiva".

"Victoria No. 203" is director Kamal Sadana's take on his father's most successful work by the same name.

Whether these films are truly remakes or adaptations could be argued long and hard, but the end result is still the same; it's Bollywood finding inspiration from itself.

Is this a problem?

Many argue that historically, stories, myths and legends have survived because they have been retold, or remade. Even ancient Greek myths were adopted and retold by the Romans and, later, medieval and Renaissance writers such as Chaucer and Shakespeare retold or added elements to classic Greek myths - the Troilus and Cressida story does not come from Homer's Iliad.

Folktales, fairytales and legends continued to morph, often to suit the culture that was adopting them. The legends of King Arthur are a good example, with various versions of the stories over the centuries; even today, a recent film "King Arthur" purports to tell the "real" story behind the legend.

In many ways, nothing has changed, except the medium being used. It's not unusual when new media are established for classic myths and stories to be retold, or adapted to the new form, whether it is literature, theatre, photography, film or television.

When cinema found its feet early last century, this is exactly what happened. And since then the cinema has taken those same stories, and its own, and remade them and refashioned them during the past 100 years.

Last year, Farhan Akhtar's highly publicised and commercially successful remake of "Don" with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead had pretty much a dynamo effect. Remakes of old classics and cult movies have been pouring since. But these big screen outings have had mixed results.

While "Umrao Jaan" starring Aishwarya Rai in the title role was a no show, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's "Parineeta" - a remake of an old classic of the same name - brought back memories of good cinema.

The Sippy family may not be happy with Ram Gopal Varma's decision to remake "Sholay" but that has not deterred them from announcing the remake of "Satte Pe Satta".

Veteran filmmaker Raj N. Sippy is all set to modernise his milestone comedy with a 2007 adaptation, news reports say.

"It's called 'Seven' and will be a musical. It will not be an exact remake of my original version. Instead of seven brothers, the revamped version will have three sisters and four brothers," said Sippy.

"In today's scenario, I don't think I can make Amitabh Bachchan play a double role all over again. Ideally, Sanjay Dutt would be the first choice as the 40-plus, happy-go-lucky bachelor. I already have a rapport with him, having directed him in 'Thanedaar' (1990)," he added.

A not-so-old movie, "Karz" by Subhash Ghai is to be remade by T-series, which will star Himesh Resahmmiya in a lead role. The director of the new "Karz" is still being decided since Ghai refused to direct or produce again his own directed movies, say reports.

"How can I remake on my own scripts when I am as today full of new ideas and concepts time ahead...but I am sure 'Karz' will be welcomed by the new generation with new kind of making. I wish Himesh and Bhushan of T-series my best," said Ghai.

Other remakes in the pipeline are Rituparno Ghosh's "Rahgeer", a remake of Dev Anand-starrer "Guide", Feroz Khan's "Qurbani" and Sudhir Mishra is set to do a remake of his own thriller "Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin" in English.

It seems the season of remakes is not going to be over yet.

Quelle: http://nowrunning.com/news/news.asp?it=11755

Ramuji is very liberal: Nisha

In an exclusive interview Nisha Kothari spills the beans about mentor Ram Gopal Varma

She is the New Age Basanti. But Nisha Kothari says she is ‘different’. And the promos of her to-be-released film Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag are good enough to convince the audience.

So how difficult was it to play the character? “Actually it was fun playing Ghungroo. But I think I had two responsibilities on my shoulders, one was to do justice to Ghungroo’s role and the other was to meet the expectations of people who will be comparing me with Hemaji,” says the bubbly actress.

How different is Ghungroo from Basanti? “My character is very different from Basanti’s, so people should not compare me with Hemaji,” says Nisha. So what was the toughest part about the character? “The toughest thing during the shoot was to smoke beedi. It was really difficult to take care of my throat. I had a bad throat everytime I smoked a beedi. So it’s a big ‘no to smoking’ now,” declares Nisha.

Though Nisha has done Sarkar, D and The Killer before, RGV Ki Aag is special to her. “Sholay is a classic, and being a part of a classic, is an honour for me. I have always admired Ajay as an actor, so it was a pleasure working with him as well,” says the actress.

Known in the film circles as Ram Gopal Varma’s current muse, Nisha claims working with him is like a dream. “Ramuji is a very creative director and apart from being creative, he is very liberal too. He also considers things according to the actor’s wish. He gives everyone freedom to work. And that makes him different from others.”

Now what? “I would like to do some intense and dignified roles and some serious films. Something like Sadma and Chandni,” she adds. Is she getting typecast by directors because of her sexy image? “It’s too early for me to be typecast. I am very new to the industry. I don’t think I am sexy,” she points out firmly.

Quelle: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Enter...how/2312273.cms

Es geht nicht darum, dass man es besser kann, sondern anders. - August 26, 2007

Ram Gopal Varma spricht mit ISHQ:

Er ist verantwortlich für das Sholay-Remake und hat versucht uns den Vergleich zum Original auszureden. Doch, wie kann ich vergleichende Fragen umgehen, wenn ich seinen Film noch nicht gesehen habe? Man merkt ihm die Sorge an, dass die Leute sich davon nicht lösen können. Immer wieder betont er, dass die Figuren, das Setting, der ganze Stil einfach ganz anders seien, um bloß nicht in Konkurrenz zu dem übermächtigen Klassiker zu treten.

Aber natürlich ist das irgendwie unfair, denn wie oft kommt schon ein Film wie Sholay daher? Man könnte es nämlich auch so sehen: Selbst wenn der Film nicht an das Vorbild heranreichen kann, so könnte er noch immer weit besser sein als die gängige Massenware.

Schließlich ist es Ram Gopal Varma (Company, Sarkar), von dem wir hier reden und auch, wenn sein Talent im Moment auf dem Prüfstand zu stehen scheint, hat es der Meister des "alternativen" Hindi-Kinos in der Vergangenheit ja schon ein paar mal bewiesen. Wir durften ihm bei seiner Promo zum neuen Film ein paar Fragen stellen und kamen nicht umhin festzustellen, dass er ganz schön unter Druck zu stehen scheint. Aber wer weiß. Vielleicht ist das immer so. Vielleicht will er das sogar so haben. Er muss ja gewusst haben, worauf er sich da einlässt, oder etwa nicht? Hier haben wir also schon einmal ein paar Antworten von dem Mann, der dann hinterher zur Verantwortung gezogen werden wird. Der Rest des Interviews wird dann zusammen mit der Filmreview in unserer Oktober-Ausgabe zu lesen sein:


Warum macht man Remakes von Filmen, die so weit als Klassiker akzeptiert sind? (Unumgängliche Frage nach "Sarkar", dem Remake des "Paten", und "Aag"...):

Es geht nicht darum, den Film Szene um Szene nachzustellen, sondern das Thema in einer anderen Atmosphäre umzusetzen. Jeder Inder ist mit Sholay aufgewachsen, also ist es einfach mein Versuch, ihn in einem anderen Licht, in einer anderen Zeit zu zeigen. Der erste Film wurde in einem Dorf gedreht und diesmal spielt er in der Stadt. Es geht nicht darum, dass man es besser kann, sondern anders.

Spielt Aag denn in den 80ern?

Nicht wirklich. Sholay ist eigentlich, was man einen "Formula Film" nennt. Man sollte das nicht wörtlich, realistisch nehmen, dass die Geschichte in einer bestimmten Zeitperiode spielt. Das wurde einfach geändert, um es urban statt ländlich zu machen.

Amitabh Bachchan in Gabbars Rolle. Was ist so aufregend daran?

Zu der Zeit, als Sholay geschrieben wurde, war Gabbar Singh einfach irgendein Bösewicht, doch über die Jahre hinweg wurde er zu einem der legendärsten Charaktere aller Zeiten. Also braucht man offensichtlich einen legendären Schauspieler, um diese Rolle zu spielen. Und das ist es schließlich, was Mr. Bachchan ausmacht. Außerdem sind Gabbar und Babban so unterschiedlich wie Spiderman und Superman!

Ging es nicht vielleicht auch darum, jemanden vom Original dabei zu haben, um den ganzen Skeptikern zu begegnen?

Das war nicht beabsichtigt. Das ganze Casting hing nur davon ab, wie die Figuren geschrieben wurden und wer zu welcher Rolle passte.

Gibt es eigentlich auch diese Hitler-Parodie aus den Gefängnis-Szenen?

Nein, der Charakter ist nicht drin.


Unser Eindruck vom Mann hinterm Sholay-Remake: Der sonst so coole und oft verdammt großmäulige Ram Gopal Varma scheint langsam ins Schwitzen zu geraten. Ihm dürfte klar sein, dass die meisten Kritiker schon in den Startblöcken stehen, um seinen Film gnadenlos zu zerreißen. Vielleicht fiebern wir deswegen ein bisschen mit ihm und hoffen, dass der Film so gut ist, wie er uns glauben lassen will.

Wer als Bollywood-Fan mitreden will und nicht die RTL2-Propaganda kauft, dass Hindi-Filme nur aus Shah Rukh Khan, Kitsch, schnulzigen Romanzen und Happy Ends bestehen, sollte sich den Film ansehen. Und hey, keine alberne Hitlerparodie und kein unstylisches 80er-Setting, das lässt doch schon mal hoffen...

Quelle: http://ishq-magazin.de/ishq/content/view/48/62/

RGV KI AAG has a huge legacy to follow!

The highly talented filmmaker, Ram Gopal Varma, is all ready to set the screen on fire with his tribute to SHOLAY, RAM GOPAL VARMA KI AAG.

However Ramu has a huge legacy to follow as Ramesh Sippy's SHOLAY, which released on Independence day, 1975, was a slow starter (surprisingly) during the initial weeks, but it went on to create box office history during its later run. Released initially with 250 prints, it finally ran with a record breaking 1100 prints. In the process, SHOLAY had a total earning of 23 crores, 64 lakhs and 50 thousand. SHOLAY celebrated silver jubilee at 100 cinemas and golden jubilee at 60 cinemas, spread across the country. The movie still collects impressively, even in its umpteenth re-run (especially during the festive periods).

Here is hoping that Ramu (who claims to be the biggest fan of SHOLAY), makes a worthy tribute by way of his RAM GOPAL VARMA KI AAG, which releases next Friday, and boasts of some of the biggest names in the country, like megastar, Amitabh Bachchan, South superstar, Mohanlal, the highly versatile Ajay Devgan and the talented Sushmita Sen.

Quelle: http://www.glamsham.com/movies/scoops/07...chan_080702.asp

Saif and Ajay to step into Salman and Sanjay roles - August 26, 2007

Bollywood is not just worried; it’s hobbled. Two of its top 10 heroes are Salman Khan, who’s just been jailed, and Sanjay Dutt, who’s out on interim bail.

“Has any other industry faced such a situation? We don’t have too many heroes who can deliver the goods and attract audiences, which Salman and Sanjay can easily do,” says an industry insider. Salman’s brand equity has soared after the success of Partner, which has become the biggest film of the year.

But just who can play Salman and Sanjay, if they are out of action? Of course, Bollywood is toying with lots of options. But will they click?

Pure thrill: If you are looking for thrill, then the best replacement for Salman and Sanjay could well be Akshay Kumar. After all, the audience has stamped him as a show-stopper.

Romantic drama: For romantic roles, Bollywood may prefer to put its chips on Saif Ali Khan — perhaps the best replacement in the present circumstances.

Sheer action: Mature, older, action-oriented Ajay Devgan would fit into Sanjay’s screen avatars.

Real class: For such roles, Bollywood can’t do without Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan. But their hands are overfull.

Perhaps it’s time to look beyond the duo. “They are cult figures and they have a certain equation with the audience which makes them indispensible,” says David Dhawan.

There are producers and financiers who think otherwise. “Usually each film starring Salman or Sanjay would cost about Rs25 crore and very few actors can rake in that kind of money,” says a producer.

We cannot even think of a replacement for either of them. These two (Salman and Sanjay) have spent nearly two decades; they have carved out certain positions for themselves which nobody can aspire to fill,” say Abbas Mastan, the director duo.

Of course, director David Dhawan asks the toughest FAQ: “Can you think of any other actor with a bare body like Salman?”

Quelle: http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archive...njay-roles.html

Amitabh pitched up against Gabbar Singh

Amitabh Bachchan was in no pressure while playing the character of Babban, the modernized Gabbar in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, which is due for release this Friday.

For Amitabh, Babban’s comparison with the iconic character of Gabbar makes little sense as he says, “Gabbar’s impression is insurmountable; but I am not pressured.”

He adds, “I am at an age when roles don’t come by easily. I don’t get lead roles, only character roles. It’s nice when some people like to experiment.”

Quelle: http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archive...bbar-singh.html

All you wanted to know about Aag

http://www.rediff.com/movies/aag07.html

Sushmita Sen and Chakravarthy paired again

Sushmita Sen and Chakravarthy play a couple in this Friday's release RAM GOPAL VARMA KI AAG. If the film strictly follows Ramesh Sippy's SHOLAY, Chakravarthy should be either Mohanlal's son or brother in the film. Also, as expected, he is bound to be bumped off by Amitabh Bachchan and/or his henchmen in the film.

Coming back to the unique casting of the film, this is not the first time that Sushmita Sen and Chakravarthy have been paired together. If readers remember, the two were earlier also seen as husband and wife in Ram Gopal Varma's home production VAASTUSHASTRA which released three years back.

Directed by Saurabh Usha Narang, the film belonged to horror genre and was an average success at the box office. With his adaptation of SHOLAY, RGV brings the pair back as a couple though one waits to see the length of their screen time in the film.

Quelle: http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/33234.html

Varma's 'Sholay' remake is a mix of crime and thrill - August 28, 2007

Finally, one of the most talked about films of the year, "Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag", a remake of Ramesh Sippy's 1975 cult film "Sholay", is set to hit the theatres Friday.

Maverick director Ram Gopal Varma has transformed the original completely by transporting the setting from the Chambal valley to the city. He has managed to assemble an interesting cast as well. Amitabh Bachchan plays Gabbar the notorious dacoit, a role made hugely popular by Amjad Khan.

Ajay Devgan has stepped into Dharmendara's role while Prashant Raj features as Jai, the character played by Amitabh in the original. Sushmita Sen is the widow, a role Jaya Bachchan essayed with rare poignancy. Nisha Kothari is the new age Basanti, a persona Dream Girl Hema Malini played with verve. And Sanjeev Kumar's memorable Thakur is to be Mohanlal in the new film.

Set in the dark underbelly of Mumbai, the film revolves around a nihilistic new leader Babban (Amitabh Bachchan) who has risen to rule the fetid underworld. He is cruel beyond imagination, psychotically violent and far more devious than any gangster the city has ever known. If evil keeps company, none would be greater than Tambhe (Sushant Singh), the key henchman of Babban.

The tragedy is that nobody has ever seen Babban and whosoever did, didn't survive to tell the tale. However, there is one man who believes in his existence, and that is inspector Narasimha (Mohanlal), an encounter specialist. He is tormented by his own past and his thoughts have a single point of focus, Babban. Narasimha lives with only one ambition - to finish Babban.

Unknowingly, two young men from Latur - Raj Ranade (Prashant Raj) and Hirendra Chavan (Ajay Devgan) - get involved in Narasimha's war against Babban. They come to Mumbai with big dreams of buying out the city. It's another matter that they are jobless and don't have enough money even to buy a decent meal.

In the city these two guys meet Ghungroo (Nisha Kothari). She drives a rickshaw named Laila and treats it like her best friend. Sounds weird, but that's Ghungroo.

Her plus point is that she is the city's only woman rickshaw driver and knows all the shortcuts by heart. Her minus point is that she is a complete chatterbox but Hirendra is enamoured by her constant talking and falls in love with her.

On the other hand, Raj is attracted to Durga (Sushmita Sen), a trained nurse.

Most of the actors are powerful performers and Varma is a seasoned director - so one can expect some interesting fare in this remake.

Quelle: http://www.bollywoodworld.com/news/bwnew...rom=&ucat=1&;

6 new promos with 'RGV Ki Aag'

Expect some surprises in RAMGOPAL VARMA KI AAG this Friday. While everyone’s curious to watch RGV’s interpretation of SHOLAY, there’re more surprises in store as you watch the film.

As many as four promos of various RGV productions have been included with the prints of RAMGOPAL VARMA KI AAG. These include SHABRI, GO, DARLING and SARKAR RAJ [the sequel to SARKAR]. That’s not the end of the story. Since Adlabs are partners in the project, the promos of two of their forthcoming films will also find a prominent place during the start/interval of the film: JOHNNY GADDAAR and DHOL.

Expect a glimpse of a variety of entertainers this weekend!

PS: RGV’s chela E. Niwas was also supposed to unleash the promo of MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES with the prints of RAMGOPAL VARMA KI AAG, but realizing that his ‘first look’ will be lost in the melee of promos, he has decided to release it slightly later.

Quelle: http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/08/28/10006/index.html

New age Mehbooba points out the difference - August 28, 2007

Urmila Matondkar, the hot bod playing the new age Mehbooba in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag brings out the differences between the the original song and its remake.

Urmila points, “In the original song the chemistry between two characters is slightly more sucky and here it is slightly more in the face. It’s quite more aggressive.

Here I try to recreate a completely new entity of the song and try to recreate a part of impact of the original song. So if you look at the little tid bits that are on the screen right now, you’ll get the whole thought is try to recapture only the magic not the looks or the movements or any other thing.”

Quelle: http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archive...difference.html

I am not Bunty's Babli

Sushmita Sen takes over from Jaya Bachchan in Ram Gopal Varma's take on Sholay.

Playing Durga Devi in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, Sushmita tells us more about her character in the film.

How are you, heard you were not keeping well?

Yes, I was suffering from viral fever. I was in trouble for three weeks because of this. I am actually a very energised person and constantly keep doing something or the other; otherwise, I get very restless. So lying idle for three weeks was not a good idea for me. But now I have come back, I have come back to life with a vengeance!

Will the change in name -- from Ram Gopal Varma Ki Sholay to Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag -- have any impact on the fate of the film?

Look, the film is inspired by Sholay and it's not Sholay. When you see the film, you will realise that the character we are playing in the film are assembled in the perspective of today's time and social scenario. Sholay was released in 1975, and it's been 32 years. RGV Ki Aag has everything that is contemporary.

My character has turned to Durga from Radha. She is a woman of today, whose life is not over; it's still going strong. She is a doctor.

Sholay can be given so many interpretations. I have seen this film so many times since the time I was a kid, that I think that there could be 50 lovely interpretation to this film. Different filmmakers can give it so many interpretations, as it's a lovely film.

You just mentioned that Durga and Radha are different people. But don't you think that the emotions remain the same for the two ladies?

Feelings and emotions depend on the nature of relationships and situations. In this case, the relationships are not identical. For example, Mohanlal plays my brother-in-law in the film, not my father-in-law. Even the equations vary in the film; we don't necessarily have to cover our head in front of him. If Durga covers her head, it will be out of her own choice. Durga even speaks to him and an approachable relationship.

The friendship between Jai and Veeru has been interpreted in a different way here.

To be very honest, the actors have given a different meaning to the situations, emotions and relationships. Amitabh Bachchan playing Gabbar Singh, now Babban Singh, is a completely different experience because in the original film, we saw Jai giving up his life for his friend. Here, I have never seen Amitji look so menacing.

Okay, you have not smiled in the film. Did you ever tell RGV that he robbed you of your smile in the film?

(Laughs) RGV wanted me to smile at some point or the other but every individual's face has this definite expression, which gives him or her a distinct identity. In my case, it's my smile.

RGV, as a filmmaker, is very smart. He did not let me smile in the film. He edited even the faintest expressions of smile on my face. There is a very pensive and intense side to me that even I did not know someone could capture.

But we get to see you smile in the holi song.

No, that's flashback. You get to see Durga in her happier times, when she was married. From that moment till the end of the film, you never get to see her smiling. She is a different woman from that point.

Did Amitji ever guide you on the sets by saying that Jaya did the scene in this manner?

Unfortunately, Amitji and I don't have any scenes together in the film. We did not get to spent time together on the sets, as the scenes were never canned at the same time. But I think Amitji is also of the same belief as I am, that a classic should be brought back so that the younger generation can experience it.

But coming back to your question, I doubt that even if we were shooting together, he would have ever brought up Jayaji.

We saw you with a gentleman called Bunty Sachdeva at a party a few days ago. Could you tell us more?

Since the time I saw the photographs, even I am dumbstruck. I have this very simple logic about life that it should not be taken too seriously. But if one thing starts circulating in the media, it gets confusing. Then it becomes a problem. Which is why I am very happy say that I am not Bunty's Babli and you would be happy to know that I still am Sushmita Sen. Whenever I have good things to share, I always take the initiative to introduce them to you. There is no truth to such things, it's all rubbish.

What's the update on Jhansi Ki Rani ?

Currently, the research is on in full swing. Right from England to places like Gwalior, Kalpi and Benares, we have done the research.

I have been living this woman for the past two years and the astonishing part about this woman is that there is not much recorded history. It's only the period of mutiny, which talks about her. So as a filmmaker and producer, I have that much leverage to talk about her and tell you the story the way I see it.

Quelle: http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/aug/27slide1.htm

I wanted to update Sholay

His name is Ram Gopal Varma, and he's never tired of controversy.

While watching RGV at work shooting Sarkar Raaj, his Sarkar sequel, Raja Sen kept interrupting the Hyderabad shoot to talk movies with the director, who talked about Sarkar, Sholay and the upcoming Darling. Excerpts:

The new Mehbooba song has a very different look. It looks very surreal, with an exaggeratedly macabre background and an over-the-top Urmila in front of it. Your version of Sholay started out as a very gritty encounter drama; has it evolved into something more surreal?

Yes and no. I'm not sure surreal is the right word. I feel there is something very real and not real about the original Sholay.

There is an outlandish character like Asrani, for instance, and then there are the highly realistic characters like Jaya Bhaduri and Sanjeev Kumar. And Veeru and Jai are somewhere halfway into it. Now, the dacoits have a certain sense of realism, while Gabbar's character has a very gallery-designed effect. You won't really think a man like that can exist.

So it has a strange mixture of everything. So pretty much in the whole film, I tried to capture that ambience and atmosphere both in characters and locations -- and even shot division.

You mean your Sholay is also a mix of real and unreal, then?

Yeah. Because at the end of the day, Sholay was a formula film. It was not a genre film, like say The Magnificent Seven. This had song, emotion, dance, romance, and so it was a thali -- like the formula films of the 1970s. Aag is more a homage to -- while being a contemporary version of -- that kind of cinema.

So it keeps oscillating between being real and unreal but the whole purpose and intention is not to tell you a story that will keep you emotionally involved but to create a gallery effect.

See, for me, primarily Sholay never worked on a story level. The story's basic line is of a man taking revenge on another man who killed his family and cut his hands off -- such a gruesome thing! The story demands you hate to the villain, but we all came out loving Gabbar, which means the story failed on the premise level itself.

But what it did was create an extraordinary array of moments where you felt high. When Gabbar was cutting Sanjeev Kumar's hands, we were enjoying the performance of Gabbar, not feeling sorry for the character of Thakur.

So my attempt was to create cinematic moments; the story is being used like a medium to create the moments, rather than actually telling the story. Because you know the story; the story has been remade 15 times or more. Probably, China Gate is closer to Sholay than Aag is.

Yet, we end up having the same song as Mehbooba. How does this fit into your film?

For me, it's like there's an arms deal happening between Gabbar and somebody, and to entertain the villains, an item song is done -- which is pretty much the sequence that used to be there in most of the films of the 1970s.

So obviously in contemporary times of terrorism and crime, in realistic times an item song will not be there, but then this film is not supposed to be real. There are shots and performances that will create the illusion of reality, but at the end of the day, the film is purely to entertain.

You've set your film differently, in a modern day context, and Thakur (played by Mohanlal) is now an encounter cop. But are there any significant departures from the original, in terms of plot and character?

You see, the characters are different, the scenes are different and the lines they speak are different. The theme -- the man wanting to take revenge on somebody -- is there. Right from frame one to the last one, the film is different. There is no shot that you can compare directly to the original film.

Like Sarkar and The Godfather, there's a father, there are sons, the father is attacked and the son takes revenge -- so that's the plot, but there are no frames copied from the Godfather.

Ah, because that's a misconception people definitely seem to have then, about your Sholay. They're expecting Amitabh to say 'Kitne aadmi the?' and Ajay Devgan to be doing the 'Mausi' scene...

It's not that they don't say [the lines]. They might say quite a few lines, but then the scene takes off in a different direction. The scene might start or end with those lines, but the rest of it remains original.

For example, there isn't any 'Holi kab hai?' There is 'Diwali kab hai?' Why he chooses Diwali is strategic, because of the cover of darkness and because firecracker sounds will hide the weapon sounds. So Baban decides to attack at Diwali.

The action sequence will be different, obviously, because it's in the city, and then there's the whole Diwali effect. The intention is to create a moment. We're making it after so many years, and we have the advantage of having new technology -- equipment and Avid editing technology -- the difference is bound to reflect.

For me, Ramesh Sippy made an extraordinary classic -- and I owe every rupee I earned and every bit of fame to Sholay, in one way or another. So it's not one-upmanship. I just feel that the original thoughts and characters and ideas were so unique, why not apply a technique we have available today? I want to update it. My intention is to pay respect to it, not to better it or say, 'I didn't like the old one, now I'll show you guys what Sholay's all about' (laughs).

I truly believe I'm the biggest fan of Sholay -- more than anybody else, and bigger than Ramesh Sippy himself. He made it and conceived it, but I spent lots of days waiting in line with hardly any money in my pocket, trying to watch his film.

Sholay looks very different, visually, from your own style. Sure it's artfully framed, but this film looks particularly classical, with lots of wide shots, and an almost Sergio Leone (Italian filmmaker) feel at some points. Was this a deliberate styling decision?

Yeah. The reason for it is at that point of time, Sholay was a certain benchmark: the way it was shot, the frames, the sound editing techniques, the editing cuts etc. Everything about it was just updated, it went years ahead of the style of filmmaking at that time.

So I was very clear with Amit (Roy), my DOP (Director Of Photography) that the least we should achieve is to create a visual style that has not been seen before. At least on intention; whether we can or whether audiences like it is another point. That is for the people to see it and say. But we as technicians should have that thought behind our heads.

Do you feel compromised by the name thing? Calling him Baban doesn't have quite the same ring to it...

Yes and no. The point is when I said other films are possibly closer to Sholay, that's the truth... but for me Sholay is not a story at all. Sholay is too many things. Like I said, the background score, the editing techniques... the characters were so clear that you still remember their names. That intention for me... all those things I learnt there. What I absorbed on and off screen, all that for me is Sholay. It's not truly about who is Soorma Bhai, etc -- that's just 10 percent of what is Sholay for me.

So that's why I wanted to name the film Sholay. Why I wanted to call it Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay (laughs) is because it's my interpretation of it. So I'm owning up to it in case I'm making a mistake. (Laughs) Mera galti hai.

But obviously, because of this whole court thing we couldn't wait indefinitely, so we decided to change the title. So then this is the film and this is the title and this is the promo: you like it, you come and see it; you don't like it, tough luck.

Sholay we'll wait for, but suddenly there are promos of this film called Darling. Where did this film come from? 'Directed by Ram Gopal Varma' usually comes with more fanfare than that.

I made Darling because we had this idea and we were all very excited. I spoke to Fardeen (Khan, the film's leading man) and we just made it. It's a very strange genre, the nearest thing I would say is that it's a scary comedy. It will scare the hell out of you, but it will make you laugh as well, which is a strange mixture.

It starts off as a romantic comedy, then becomes a thriller, then a horror film, then a comedy and finally ends up on a highly emotional note. So I mixed up about seven to eight genres in the same film.

Is that hard to do -- juggle different genres yet keep the emotional graph alive?

I think eventually you are creating some characters and putting them in a certain situation, and if the situation is bizarre enough to inherently create that kind of a thing, it would come.

It's not as if on a starting level one sat down and said 'let me make a story that keeps on changing genres.' It's just the characters and situation that lead you to different genres.

So for a unique script like this, do you lock the script and make all the genre decisions beforehand, or does that change as you make the film, changing as you shoot and edit the film?

Darling was pretty much locked. I used to have a habit of not having a script and going and just doing it. I've done this in many films actually including Satya, where I didn't have a locked script, and Company.

But I took this long gap, and now [things have changed]. Definitely, it has its effect. You have much more clarity. Instinctively, I might still know my job of how to make my film, but there can be things you just lose sight of and lose contact with. I think it's very important to have a locked script because you can concentrate on just enhancing it, especially when you're talking about a film as complex as Aag or Darling.

Flitting through several genres -- Romance, Comedy, Horror -- which was the tough part of Darling?

I think it was the emotional part which was tough, because the audience go through a series of changes when they're watching it, and then to suddenly bring in an element of seriousness at the end -- it means the audience really has to believe in the situation. So that would be the toughest part.

Coming to Sarkar 2 -- not going into the story because you won't tell us -- but from the way you're shooting it, you're spending an awful amount of time framing the shots. It's all about the shadow and the light and the way your actors are positioned. Is this a feature of all your films?

Yeah, pretty much. I'm very particular about how an actor or a scene, is framed because it creates a strange emotion when you see it in the right context. I don't really feel films are about content, eventually they're broken up into pictures and soundbytes. The audience never gets to hear a story; they see a story in a series of shots, following one another.

So I feel, each shot should make an emotional connect in some way of the other: either to create a larger than life perspective or to create a certain emotion, be it fear or whatever the scene calls for.

I feel you need to feel an emotion. If you freeze the frame, there should be something you feel in that -- if you zoom in a little more, it won't be the same, and if you zoom out a little more, it won't be the same. So I'm very, very particular about framing.

Which makes you almost like the DOP yourself, orchestrating every single shot.

No, not really. Composition is almost like editing. The DOP will light up the shot and create the necessary mood. And at the most, I can say, as a viewer, 'I don't like this, I don't like that, zoom in, zoom out.' But eventually he's creating it and I'm just reacting to what I'm seeing -- because he might not have the perfect emotional quotient of what I'm trying to create, or the scene in terms of the screenplay.

You'd said about Sarkar once that it was a film you'd designed for the galleries. Is Sarkar 2 also like that?

I don't know if I said this, it doesn't sound like me. Though I say a lot of things which I don't mean. Or I mean it at that time, to be more fair. But actually, sometimes I do say things just for effect -- and this could be one of those.

There are only two kinds of films. In some films, the subject matter doesn't let you take it less seriously: you feel very strongly about the subject. And in some films you start off lightly and you work on it alongside many projects and people close to you tell you it's fantastic, and you lose the objective of that.

But frequently, in my experience, if you know what you want to do in the end of the film, it very rarely goes wrong.

Sarkar shared the plot of The Godfather. Is Sarkar 2 like Godfather 2?

No. It doesn't have any connection to Godfather 2 or 3. It's just a logical progression of what could be happening to the Nagre family after the end of Sarkar.

The last shot of Sarkar indicates that Abhishek has taken over -- the shot with him in the darkness, and Sarkar outside. So he's handling the business and letting his father have the limelight, and Sarkar has developed the kind of belief in his son's ability to take care of things.

Quelle: http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/aug/28slid1.htm

Are you looking forward to RGV's Aag?

This week, it's remake time at the movies once again, as we will see a modernised version of Victoria No 203. And there is of course, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, the director's 21st century relook at the evergreen Bollywood classic, Sholay [Images].

Aag will have Amitabh Bachchan [Images] playing Baban Singh, Mohanlal as Narshima Ajay Devgan [Images] as Heero, Prashant Raj [Images] as Raj Ranade, Nisha Kothari [Images] as Ghungroo, and Sushmita Sen [Images] as Durga Devi.

Are you looking forward to RGV's Aag? Do you think it will be as exciting as Sholay? Do you think Amitabh will equal the Amjad Khan magic?

Quelle: http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/aug/28amit.htm

No offbeat cinema for at least next five years - August 28, 2007

"I am not the main heroine of the film, Sushmita Sen is", declares Nisha Kothari rather candidly who is confident that her Friday's release Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag would be seen by one and all.

"Meanwhile I am happy playing one of the characters in the film. Imagine sharing screen space with people who have been there in the business even before I was born. That's good enough for me", says a modest Nisha who has a lot happening for her this season.

"In fact most of me which is being seen of me today is the work that I am wrapping up. Go is now getting ready for release while Darling has me in just a song and dance appearance. Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag too features me though let me be honest to confess that the film is more about a family and it's battle with the character of Babban more than anything else", she replies when questioned about her frequent appearance on TV promos.

But why is she taking it slow when it comes to signing new projects, "I am currently only in the process of looking at different kind of scripts coming my way. I am not on a signing spree because first and foremost I am looking at getting all the finer edges rectified in the acting department. I am constantly striving for improvement."

Doesn't that make her apprehensive considering the fact that Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag is the biggest and perhaps the only project in her hands at the moment? "Sochne se kya faayda, jo hoga dekha jaayega", she says with her characteristic sweet smile, "It doesn't help anyone if I get apprehensive. It is a particular phase of my career and I am happy at this moment. I would continue to do the best I can and after that it is left for the audiences to decide how I fared. As always, I continue to be game for constructive feedback and deliver what an audience wants."

So what does she look for in a role at the moment? Does she ever feel that probably just to prove a point that she can be much more than someone who is cute and glam, she may do some offbeat cinema? "No offbeat cinema for at least next five years", she reacts instantaneously, "There is no point doing that because of the kind of baby face I have. Also my body structure is such that it would be difficult for everyone to adjust if I try to do anything which is completely opposite of my personality."

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With a film like Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, does that mean that she is not really striving for bigger parts? "It's not anything like that, though I have always been a staunch believer of the fact that it is just a single scene that can make a difference. Now look at my part in Sarkar. I believe everyone who saw the film noticed the small though important part that I had in the film. I am sure I was noticed in the very first go", she reasons.

Coming to her co-stars, one has mostly seen her with relatively newer heroes like Mohit Ahlawat or Emraan Hashmi. How was it to suddenly find herself paired opposite much senior Ajay Devgan?

"You are forgetting Madhavan who was already a superstar when I did my first film with it, albeit in South." She continues, "Talking of Ajay Devgan, I think it's all in his eyes. The kind of expressions that he can give through his eyes are typically Ajay. And when people say that he is intense and powerful, they do so with a reason. He is so versatile and that only suits the multiple shades that his character takes."

Were there any special instructions from Ram Gopal Varma to her to act in a particular way? "No", says Nisha promptly, "You have to work with him to see the way he gives instructions. He doesn't make you follow a particular method to act. He wants you to understand a scene and then act spontaneously. There isn't any special piece of advice that comes from him."

This means that she was completely on her own when it came to enacting Ghunghroo? "Well almost. It goes all the way back to the photo shoot when he asked me to do the 'tapori' act. I used my own clothes and mere apne dimaag se jo ban paaya, maine woh kiya."

Quelle: http://www.indiafm.com/features/2007/08/28/2984/index.html