RE: August 2007 - News - 9

Big B confident of RGV Ki Aag

The wait for Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay turned Aag is now almost over and the man who has been a part of both the original and the remake was there in Mumbai to promote the film on Wednesday.

Big B plays the iconic character of Gabbar in the new age Aag.

"He is such a mercurial character, he is so unpredictable as to what he is going to do next. For an actor it is the entire book of acting put into one chapter called called Gabbar Singh. It is so marvellous," said Amitabh.

When Ramesh Sippy thought of Sholay, the film world thought it to be an over ambitious project can the same be said about Ram Gopal Varma?

"A certain amount of bravery and guts goes in wanting to pick up something which has already been classified as this is legendary and iconic. And then want to replace it or rather reposition it into a realm, which is contemporary more real but still have the little bit of flavour and essence of the real, I think is very challenging all of us as actors, challenging for a maker, it is for the writers to interpret all that in recent times. So, for us it was a new product and at the back of the mind a bell ringing in our mind that we have seen it earlier," he said.

Well, Friday is not very far away Ramesh Sippy definitely proved his critics wrong will Ramu now do the same?

Quelle http://www.ndtvmovies.com/newstory.asp?s...NTEN20070024383

Ramu’s Aag and Darling in consecutive weeks… recipe for B.O. debacle?? - August 30, 2007

For the way he is, Ramuji won’t really pay much heed to the fact that two of his releases may well compete with each other as they release on consecutive Fridays. But this might be a reason for concern for the distributors.

The stats clearly state that popular filmmaker Priyadarshan once had two of his films released in the same week which proved fatal for them at the Box Office. Both failed and sank without a trace.

So, will Ramu’s Aag hurt his Darling? Let’s wait and watch for dates to be shuffled or for Ramuji to pull off a stunner again.

Quelle: http://www.radiosargam.com/films/archive...bo-debacle.html

Zitat von BiggestAJDFan!

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Hey Foxy X bist du bereit für eine Kritik??Wenn ja , dann ist das meine frage : Was haben diese Nachrichten mit Ajay zutun?? 8)

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Bei den News soll es nicht nur um Ajay gehen, sondern auch rund um seine Filme, somit sind die News hier schon ok.

Will 'Babban' recreate the magic?

Interview mit "Amitabh Bachchan"

Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag is finally rolling out of his factory on Friday and the much awaited shoe trial of Jai as Gabbar or as in this case Babban waits to be seen.

Babban’s character sketch reads like an over-enthusiastic formula script describing Babban as the Mumbai’s nihilistic new leader ruling the fetid underworld.

And what meets the eye on screen is what one expects. Against a green screen, a mooring expression fades in. An enraged image of evil and everything that could be gory resides in Babban’s expression and gear.

And even though, the maverick of madness, Ram Gopal Varma pleads on how his Sholay begs to differ from the original, his monster Babban, failed to rise above the quintessential Bollywood villain, the daku.

“But of course he is cruel and looks shabby. He is the dacoit, the destroyer. He is the villain of the movie and he will fall in the end. You don’t have to be a great foreseer to tell that,” Ramu asserts.

In an industry where formulistic scripts and eye candy sell, the Bollywood baddie with his larger-than-life histrionics, loud immoral acts of viciousness, a costume drama wardrobe, makeup and hair and of course his resounding fearsome laugh, remains the only constant.

From Amjad 'Gabbar' Khan in Sholay to Amrish 'Mogambo' Puri in Mr India, Sadashiv Amrapurkar’s ruthless eunuch in Sadak, Anupam Kher as Dr Dang of Karma and Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Shaakaal in Shaan were all larger than life and a perfect foil for the do-gooder hero. And even scripts have gone shorter and cinema grown real, the good old baddies haven’t gone in for an image makeover.

Bollywood bad man Gulshan Grover is proud to be in this league of extraordinary men. “The average Bollywood villain is often uncouth and dresses in fancy clothes. He enjoys complete supremacy from everywhere and walks with his entourage. All this makes that the role for the villain is well-scripted,” Grover says, adding that his best villainous act was of course Kesariya Vilayati, ‘Bad Man’ in Subhash Ghai’s Ram Lakhan.

And though many agree that the Bollywood bad boy has dumbed down with the RGV underworld treatment, many like Ghai, feel that the charisma of the Bollywood baddie never fades but returns every two to three years. “Our villains epitomise fear. Who can forget an Ajit’s Mona Darling in Zanjeer and the very versatile Amrish Puri’s Mogambo or Chuniya in Saudagar. They are the real protagonists of any movie and viewers never get tired of them,” he opines adding, “even after a slump, they’ll be a Naseeruddin Shah doing a Mastana in Bombay Boys and now a Babban in Aag.”

So is it ironical to see a RGV churn out a Babban after a D or an archetypal throwback to the villains of old-over-the-top characters who were pure bad? You decide!

Quelle: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=91570

The old Sholay gang wants to kill me

Interview mit "RGV"

Ram Gopal Varma on what else but Sholay… and Aag

Now that Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag is finally releasing, are you more nervous, scared or excited?

Since I declared my intention of re-interpreting Sholay, I’ve already gone through all these three emotions. Right now I’m just curious. I want to see how the audience react to the film.

What is that one comment you don’t want to hear?

See we have to be practical. We’re living in a world where everyone has a right to give a vent to their thoughts. I can’t stop anyone from saying anything. So in that sense whatever good, bad or ugly comments come my way I have no choice but to be prepared for them. It’s very simple: we went ahead and did something we wanted to and now the audience has the right to say what it wants to.

Was it very difficult to choose new names for all the immortal characters?

Oh yes it was extremely difficult. For a long time I’d been living in the same space as the characters were called in the original so it wasn’t easy to come up with new names overnight. Also no name seemed correct instantly. It took me a while to get used to the change. I’m sure even in the original they didn’t give as much thought to the names.

When was the last time you saw Sholay?

I think it was a year back.

Why didn’t you drop your name from the title?

It’s more by default than anything else. Earlier I had titled the film Ram Gopal Varma Ki Sholay so as to make it clear that this was my interpretation of the film. Then we had some legal trouble with the title so I had to think of a similar sounding title and I opted for Aag, which is kind of synonymous with Sholay. Somehow the director’s name tagged along. It just became convenient not to change it.

What posed as the bigger challenge: remaking Sholay or presenting Amitabh Bachchan as Gabbar Singh?

See, challenge is just one-upmanship of trying to prove something. I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone. This film is simply my interpretation of Sholay. I’m just trying to show the film in a new light. It’s not important that my interpretation needs to be better than the original. At the end of the day, every creative artiste is an extension of something that someone else has done. He puts his own personality and spin on that which already exists. That said, I think my version of Sholay will appeal to three types of audience: the die-hard Sholay fans; those who have seen Sholay but are not that much into it and those in the age group of 12-30 who have probably not seen the original. At the end of the day, films need to be discussed and I’ll be happy if everyone who watches Aag discusses it. You might ridicule it or criticise it but it shouldn’t bore you.

Which is your favourite Sholay moment?

Every shot and line is a favourite moment.

Why did you choose Urmila for the Mehbooba track?

I didn’t even have to think about it. Urmila was always the first choice.

Would you like to show the film to the old Sholay gang?

No. I don’t think it’ll be wise. They all want to kill me so even if I invite them they won’t come.

Quelle: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.ph...91569#compstory

If I do badly, you can blame Mr Bachchan

Interview mit "Prashant Raj"

His deep baritone may have landed him the role of Jai in Ramgopal Varma Ke Sholay… oops, Aag. But that’s not all that he shares with Amitabh Bachchan, the original Jai.

He is six feet-plus, exudes a brooding intensity and has a sunny swagger. But his overall attitude seems very much his own.

He says, “It’s very contemporary and very 2007, like Ramu’s interpretation of Sholay.”

That’s Prashant Raj for you. Cockiness personified. In fact, that’s what got him the role. “Last November, I got a call from Ram Gopal Varma’s office. I dropped by, but Ramu was out so I left my portfolio there. Within a couple of hours, I got a call asking me to meet the director immediately. So there I was the next day in front of Ramu, answering questions like ‘what do you think of acting?’ and ‘what does the profession mean to you…’ And then he asked me to do an impromptu audition. I didn’t get up or do any movements; I simply talked about the room, starting with something like Aap ko kya lagta hai mujhe acting nahin aati…?”

Ramu was taken aback but asked him to come in for another audition in the character’s get-up and speak rehearsed lines from the script. Says Raj, “Ramu told me later that he liked my confidence.” The new Jai-to-be put on his dad’s old shirt, wore a scruffy look and did the second audition, and within a week, he was on board.

He says, “I was the last actor to be signed on, the only newcomer in a cast of heavyweights.” Working with the likes of Mohanlal, Bachchan and Ajay Devgan was, of course, a dream come true. “What more could I have asked for? The director even agreed to let my character use my real name. Isn’t it amazing playing a character named after yourself in your debut film?”

Raj didn’t come into acting by design. His mother is a painter, his father the MD and CEO of Greaves Cotton. The Delhi-educated Mumbai boy oscillated between modelling and corporate jobs. “I worked with Percept and other companies, but my mind and heart weren’t quite there,” he says.

The winner of the 2004 Grasim Mr India first runner-up crown and the 2005 Mr Model of the Universe contest at Quito, Ecuador, Raj had faced the camera as a model—he poses for our photo shoot like a pro and even brainstorms a bit on possible concept shots with our photographer—but he hadn’t been before a movie camera until the first take of Aag. “Though I knew at 16 that I would be a model, acting wasn’t an option. I refused three films and a host of TV serials before Aag and was all set to relocate to Los Angeles as an event director. I had even got a tough-to-attain 10-year US business visa just prior to my audition,” he reveals.

Raj, however, eased into the Aag assignment without breaking into a sweat. “Though I literally learned everything on the job, it was never like ‘Oh my God, what have I landed myself in?” says Raj. “None of the actors treated me like a newcomer though I could barely contain my joy when I learnt Sushmita, an actress I admire a lot, would be my heroine.”

“My character, like the original one, is a serious guy who falls for a widow but has a tough time expressing his true feelings. You never get to see what their romance culminates into…” Does that mean his Jai isn’t bumped off? “For that you have to see the film,” chortles Raj.

His onscreen pairing with Devgan, who plays Ramu’s interpretation of Veeru—Heeru bhai—isn’t quite along expected lines. “Unlike the earlier Jai-Veeru pairing, there’s an age gap. My character is much younger and, having lost his parents, looks up to him. He’s my guardian and guide onscreen. What you see onscreen is the way it was off screen too,” he says.

Incidentally, for Raj, the action scenes were the toughest. “Nothing was easy, but I guess my toughest scene was one atop a 40-feet rock by the sea in Vasai. I had to deliver a lengthy dialogue, which was shot over four-five days amid constant gusts of wind,” he says.

Did he get any tips from the original Jai? “Not at all. He would occasionally tell me how to hold a gun or look at the camera but he gave no advice on how to interpret Jai. So in a way you could blame Mr Bachchan if I do badly,” jokes Raj.

“Amitji is an actor who wouldn’t interfere in the director’s job.”

Raj, who saw Sholay in its entirety only after signing the film, says, “Comparison is inevitable. But it’s a very fast and modern film. At no point is Ramu trying to ape Sholay. Our film does have a similar sequence of events but the plot is very different. If people watch it in isolation, they will actually enjoy it as much as the original.”

How have his equations been with Ramu, who is known for his fallouts with his protégés, most recently with Mohit Ahlawat, who was originally tipped to play Jai?

“I share a very healthy relationship with him at the moment and don’t want to bother about tomorrow. He’s a fantastic mentor. I guess there won’t be any ups and downs between us, as I am not bound by any contract. I have already completed my second film, which is not a Factory production.”

Raj’s next film is titled Toss. “It’s a family drama set in Goa with elements of a thriller thrown in. It stars Mahesh Manjrekar, Ashmit Patel, Aarti Chhabria and Rajpal Yadav and there are a few more films in the pipeline too.”

More, we are sure, will come post-Aag… So is it time for Bollywood to welcome another angry young man?

Quelle: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=91539

I respect Sholay, Aag not a copy

Ram Gopal Varma's film Aag, which has made the rounds of courts for infringing the rights of the blockbuster Sholay, is now ready for release.

"I always made films on ideas I like and I believe. I think every filmmaker should do this. "Aag is not the copy of Sholay," Varma says.

"I made Aag because I have tremendous respect for Sholay. But, in my film everything is original and different from Sholay. Be it is its characters, storyline, dialogues or the sequences, he says.

Despite the fact there were lots of problems in making the film and even the title which Varma had opted had to be changed, he managed to complete it. "I believed in this film and I have made it," he says.

On Aag having only two saleable names Amitabh Bachchan who is playing Babban Singh and Ajay Devgan who is playing Hero, Varma asks, "Tell me how many saleable names I had in my film Satya or even in Company, still these films clicked. So, saleable names are only there to woo the distributors to sell the film. But if your story telling is nice, never mind you have a star or super star in the film, you will get appreciation, he says.

Varma supports the newcomer Prashant Raj. I think this boy who played the character of Raj has done a superb job and I hope his character would be remembered for a long time.

Despite the fact that he has shared camera in front of Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgan, still he has effortlessly enacted his role, Varma says.

On Gabbar Singh played by the late Amjad Khan or the character of Babban Singh that is played by Amitabh Bachchan in Aag, he says, Amjad ji had done a nice job and his role was more than excellent."

But still I feel Amitabh Bachchan as Babban Singh has done great job if you compare it with the technology we have in today's films, make-up and performance. If you ask me as a normal cinemagoer who had now watched both films, I would say Bachchan as Babban Singh is good. No other actor could do this role except him."

Sippy's Sholay had dialogues like kitney aadmi they, yeh haath humka de de thakur and many others, will Aag would be having the dialogues that would be remembered for a long time?

"I think there are a few lines and dialogues in my Aag which too would be remembered for a long long time," he says.

Most of the people who know Varma believe that he does not bother what box office or critics say about his film, as his recent films like Nishabd fell flat at the box office, but

Varma with Aag seems carried away with the box office as he says, box office is important.

"Some of my films got rave reviews but did not do well at the box office. In cinema big money is involved from a producer, a distributor, a cinema hall to a cinegoer it is a chain. I have tried my level best to get good response."

No filmmaker can ensure in advance that his X or Y film would do well, all what he can do is make a film; rest all depends on the audience. My film is releasing on Aug 31 this month and all what I can say is that let's hope for the best, he says.

Varma has also completed Sarkar 2 which has three Bachchans including Aishwarya in it, Varma said, it is too early to talk about that.

Quelle: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=91511

Sholay Ki Aag: Why Sholay still sets fire to box office - August 31, 2007

Hindi cinema's most popular film ever, a picture that has inspired generations of filmmakers and film goers. 32 years after its release, Ramesh Sippy's Sholay continues to spawn sequels and remakes.

While its most ambitious remake yet, Rs 20 crore Ramgopal Varma Ki Aag gets ready to release on Friday, the original film's producers have announced that there will be an official prequel, sequel, remake and an animated version. Clearly Sholay has taken a life of its own.

For months now, filmmaker Ramgopal Varma has been in the news for his unofficial remake of Sholay, a project that's been mired in controversy since announcement.

Varma, a self-confessed fan of the original film, says his picture is merely a tribute to his favourite film. His characters, however, seem suspiciously similar to those in Ramesh Sippy's classic.

The magic of Sholay was felt not only by the actors of the film who starred in it and whose lives changed forever, but also by so many others who enjoyed a slice of the Sholay pie.

In a special show Sholay Ki Aag on CNN-IBN, Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand focused on Hindi cinema's most popular film ever and the spin-offs it has inspired over the years. He spoke to AK Hangal, who of course played the blind Imam Chacha, about his role in Sholay.

Talking about why the movie Sholay really above any other film Hangal said, ”I think Sholay became very popular because in the movie each character was a good character and portrayed very nicely by the actors. In my own role I did Imam Chacha, I did that role very emotionally. I remember all the sequence very much.”

“First of all I was booked by Ramesh Sippy for Sholay. In the meantime Dev Anand approached me and he wanted me to go to Kathmandu and do his film. And the same date clashed. It was very difficult for me to decide. Ultimately I decided that both should get their due and I did both the films. Sholay came last, first Dev Anand’s film,” he added.

Sholay, of course, is a film with many firsts to its credit. A film that is like none other, in many respects.

It's a film that holds a special place in the hearts of so many people, if only because so many memories are associated with it. May the magic of Sholay live on.

Das Video zum Artikel: http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/47784/08_2...box-office.html

Quelle: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/sholay-ki-aa...ce/47784-8.html

Sholay Redux: Meet the stars, circa 2007 | Deja Vu - August 31, 2007

For months now, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has been in the news for his unofficial remake of 1970s-blockbuster Sholay, a project that's been mired in controversy since announcement.

Varma, a self-confessed fan of the original film, says his picture is merely a tribute to his favourite film. His characters, however, seem suspiciously similar to those in Ramesh Sippy's classic.

Will Amitabh Bachchcan as Babban Singh be able to give Gabbar a new lease of life the RGV’s now re-titled Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag? Gabbar has lost his original crassness for a suave, though scar-faced sinister self – the chief of bandits is now an underworld don.

If Gabbar gave Amjad Khan a career in all things evil, then Babban gives the all-time favourite 'hero' Amitabh Bachchan a chance to play the bad guy.

Trying to fit into the Big B's big shoes of the strong and silent Jai is newcomer Prashant Raj as Raj. Here's another brooding baritoned tall order, but this 21st century Jai has the attitude to match his pierced earlobe and his iron balls.

A charmer, a smooth-talker and a big flirt - that pretty much defined the original Veeru. Ram Gopal Varma has roped in the very intense Ajay Devgan to reprise Veeru as Heero - an unlikely choice.

Yes, the new Veeru or Heero too loves his drink, still has a roving eye and he's still trying to get up, close and personal with Basanti aka Ghungroo, who's being played by Nisha Kothari.

Ghunghroo has something that Basanti didn't have - Durga for a friend. Durga is to Ramu what Radha was to Sippy.

And finally, there's the Thakur - Inspector Baldev Singh now returns as Inspector Narsimha played by Mohanlal.

An encounter specialist for the crime branch of Mumbai's City Police, Narsimha had a successful career graph. That is, until he takes on Babban Singh.

Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag might be set in present day Mumbai but its characters are a remix of the unforgettable characters from the 1975 classic.

But then, as every Sholay fan knows, it's the story which matters the most.

Quelle: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/sholay-redux...u/47783-17.html

Not a very fiery premiere for RGV's Aag

For a much hyped remake, Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag had a quiet premiere at Mumbai's Cinemax Theatre. However, that did not stop the film's biggest star, Amitabh Bachchan, from hurriedly expressing his high expectations from the flick.

"Obviously, we are very excited on this day since the film is all set for release," he said.

Nonetheless, despite the Big B casting his aura over all, the absence of actors Ajay Devgan and Mohanlal's stood out, though the 'wannashines' of the cast — Nisha Kothari and Prashant Raj — valiantly tried to make up for that.

"I am a little nervous because the film will be seen by the public on Friday," said Nisha Kothari.

Added Prashant Raj, "I have seen the movie and I really like it. I think it will be a big hit."

RGV Ki Aag came into focus right from the moment it was called an unofficial remake of the cult Bollywood blockbuster, Sholay, which is one of the reasons why the guests at the premiere were looking forward to the filmmaker's interpretation.

One of the guests at the big night, actor Ritesh Deshmukh, said that he was sure the audience would like RGV's version. "Ramu is a unique filmmaker. The movie is projected as a contemporary film. In today’s time, 2007, if Sholay had to happen in Bombay with the same characters, what would happen?"

Added singer Adnan Sami, "I have come here for Mr Bachchan as Babban. When I saw his get up and saw the promos, I felt, 'My God, he looks amazing."

Despite these votes of confidence, the response at the premiere was less than exciting and the only thing now that Aag's makers can hope for is that the box office fire burns a bit more bright than what they saw on the opening night.

Quelle: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/not-a-very-f...g/47803-17.html

I am not afraid of comparisons: RGV

It may well turn out to be the biggest gamble of Ram Gopal Varma's career.

After churning out path-breaking films like Rangeela and more recently Sarkar, the maverick filmmaker has once again hit the headlines with his remake of the cult classic Sholay.

In an exclusive interview, Ramu says comparisons with the original blockbuster will not make his film falter at the box office.

NDTV: What inspired you to remake an iconic film like Sholay?

RGV: Sholay is such a wonderful film that I always wanted to remake it. It's my mark of respect for a film that has been such a rage over so many years. In fact it's popular even now. However I wanted to reinterpret the film for a new generation. Sholay was a film for one generation; Aag is a film for another generation.

NDTV: Are you so obsessed with yourself that you had to include your name in the film's title?

RGV: Tell me if it's my take on the film Sholay, what's wrong if I include my name in the title? I wanted the film to be called Ram Gopal Varma ki Sholay, but because of copyright issues we had to change the name to Aag. So if it's called Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag, it means the film is my point of view and my way of looking at the yesteryear blockbuster.

NDTV: Comparisons with the original Sholay are inevitable. Does that scare you?

RGV: Had I any such fears, I would never have made the film. Comparisons don't scare me. Regardless of what my views are on this issue, there will always be people who will draw comparisons. But that doesn't worry me at all.

NDTV: What do you have to say about your love-hate relationship with all your actresses? You cast them in a series of films and then dump them. After that, you look for another new face to work with. Is it true that you get infatuated with your leading ladies?

RGV: I have never got obsessed or infatuated with any of my actresses. Why just actresses? There are also actors like Mr Amitabh Bachchan who I have repeatedly cast in my films. I can give you many other examples. What I mean is that I use an actor or actress according to the demands of the character, and for no other reason. People may count how many times I repeat an actress, but I don't. I am concerned only with my films, not repetitions.

NDTV: There were rumours that Ajay Devgan refused to work opposite Nisha Kothari. Is that true?

RGV: Ajay and Nisha gel very well in the film and there were no problems between them. In fact I haven't had any problems about one actor complaining about another.

NDTV: And what do you have to say about rumours that you are having an affair with Nisha Kothari?

RGV: It's just a rumour, so let's leave it that way. I know I can't avoid it, so I prefer to stay away from it. It dies its own death.

NDTV: So what's the USP of Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag? Why should people go to see it?

RGV: I think it's the aesthetics and film's appeal for a new generation. I am sure people will love Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag.

Quelle: http://www.ndtvmovies.com/newstory.asp?s...NTEN20070024544

No one can play Basanti again: Nisha

From a motormouth tangewali in Sholayto a brash auto driver in Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag, Basanti has certainly come a long way.

While denying that RGV has gone out of his way to promote her, Nisha Kothari talks about the highs and lows of playing the character immortalised by Hema Malini.

NDTV: What's the first thing that came to your mind when you got the offer to play Ghungroo?

Nisha: I was certainly under pressure when I came to know that I would be playing a character made famous by Hema Mailini, the Dream Girl of her times. But Ramuji asked me to forget about the original role and just concentrate on Ghungroo. He said that if I concentrated on my role, I would not have to bother with comparisons later on.

NDTV: Hema Malini has reportedly said that no one can recreate Basanti's role from the original Sholay. What do you have to say?

Nisha: She's right. It is an immortal role that no one can portray again. But I would be honoured and touched if Hemaji goes and sees Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag and the role that I have done.

NDTV: According to you, what's Ghungroo's USP?

Nisha: I will leave that for people to decide.

NDTV: How would you describe Ghungroo in a few words?

Nisha: She's an unpredictable auto driver. No one knows what her next move will be. Although she pretends she's as tough as a man, inside she's still a woman.

NDTV: How do you want auto drivers to react to your role?

Nisha: I want them to go and watch the film. I want them to love this lady auto driver.

NDTV: Do you think Ghungroo will become a heartthrob among them?

Nisha: It's upto auto drivers to accept Ghungroo in whatever way they want.

NDTV: How was it working with Ajay Devgan? Are you aware of rumours that he had initially refused to work with you?

Nisha: I too have heard such rumours. But while I was working with him, never once did I feel there was any truth behind it. He never tried to impose himself as a super star. Ajay was always humble and cooperative when he was shooting with me.

NDTV: Who would you rate higher - Dharmendra as the original Veeru or Ajay as Heero?

Nisha: I would have loved to work with the original Veeru.

NDTV: Is it true that RGV has been promoting you over others?

Nisha: Believe me while doing the film I felt he was promoting others more than me! It's just the other way round.

NDTV: Do you feel jealous of Urmila because she has a more glamorous role than yours in Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag?

Nisha: No, I have learnt than life is not about bothering with the success of others, but creating your own success. She is such a big star. In comparison, I am still a newcomer. Why should I feel jealous of her?

NDTV: Did you ever feel that Ramuji was promoting Urmila more than you?

Nisha: Never.

NDTV: What about Amitabh Bachchan's role in the film?

Nisha: No matter how much I talk about him, it's just not enough. He is such a big personality. I am lucky I have worked in a film in which he has such an important role.

NDTV: Many actresses have spoken about Amitabh as the sexiest man in the film industry. Do you agree?

Nisha: No, I think my vote would go to Rajnikant.

Quelle: http://www.ndtvmovies.com/newstory.asp?s...NTEN20070024557

Aag is a formula film



RGV’s Aag is in theatres. While people are busy speculating about it’s fate, Ramu gets candid about the hassles he faced during the making of the film, and why it was worth the effort.

Pooja Bhatt thinks people who care about what’s happening around us will see Dhokha rather than Aag.

I don’t buy that. Today, the audience is open to every kind of film. I don’t see why they’d want to choose one above the other.

Are you disappointed that the title and character names have changed?
No. I never intended to remake Sholay the way it was. How can you expect Basanti of 1975 to be replicated in Ghungroo of 2007?

Basanti was a village girl while Ghungroo is a street-smart city girl. Likewise, Sushmita can’t be the docile Radha like Jaya Bachchan was in the original. I can think of 25 films with the same theme, but I’ve never met anyone who has interpreted Sholay better than me.

You haven’t?

No. Aag takes in view the new times, new technology and new tastes and proceeds from there. I’m not trying to outdo Sholay, but pay homage to it. I’d be foolish to think I can better the original. But yes, I’m happy with Aag.

Why name it Sholay earlier?

I wanted people to know that I was paying homage. After the legal hassles, we came up with various options but finally settled for RGV’s Aag. I’m told Aag sounds very old-school. I say, thank God for that.

If you knew problems would crop up would you have avoided calling it Sholay?

I would have avoided it. My intentions weren’t underhand. I owe my bread and butter and whatever I am today to Mr Ramesh Sippy. If he didn’t make Sholay, I’d have never become a filmmaker.

You sure there won’t be copyright trouble with RGV’s Aag?

So far, no one has come forward to claim it. The title gives the project a formulistic feeling, which I wanted. The entire film, from the background score to the dialogues and characterisation, has a retro feel. So far, I’ve only made the films I want to make. For the first time, I’ve made something I want to see.

Please explain.

Aag is the kind of cinema I grew up with. The reason earlier films were called ‘formula films’ back then was because they had something for everybody. I believe Aag has that quality too.

Quelle: http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/august/163258.htm

Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag : Some facts

Ram Gopal Varma’s judgment day is round the corner. His much debated and controversial remake of cult Hindi movie Sholay is hitting the theatres on Friday.

Much water has flown down the bridge since Ram Gopal Varma first shocked the movie world with his decision to remake the bible of Hindi cinema, Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay.

Although Ramu faced downright criticism from many people – from Ramesh Sippy to Jaya Bachchan , Dharmendra and Hema Malini – Ramu had Amitabh Bachchan on his side. Then there was a legal battle between Ramu and Sascha Sippy over the film’s copyright issue. Ramu lost the battle and omitted the word Sholay from the movie’s title and changed the characters’ names (from Veeru to Heero and Gabbar to Babban).

As the film is ready to release on August 31, here are some interesting tidbits about Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag .

CAST RESHUFFLE

In the beginning, Ramu thought of signing Abhishek Bachchan for the role of the jocular Heero in the film. But there was a problem. He had already decided to cast Amitabh Bachchan as Gabbar Singh. And he could not envisage Abhishek fighting with Big B in the movie’s climax.

After dismissing Abhishek, Ramu then approached Saif Ali Khan with the offer to play Heero. But Saif did not have the dates to spare. Eventually Ajay Devgan was roped in for the part.

Initially, Ramu had finalized Mohit Ahlawat to play the silent and brooding Jai. But as the script kept on evolving, Ramu realized that Mohit did not suit the role. In his place, newcomer Prashant Raj was roped in. Even the character’s name was changed from Jai to Raj.

AJAY, NISHA GET STEAMY

Nisha Kothari , Ramu’s blue-eyed gal, plays the role of Ghungru, an autorickshaw driver. Nisha, who is paired with Ajay, shot a very sensuous number Chhaa Raha with the actor. Quite interestingly, the song has more skin show by Devgan than by Nisha. Ramu shot the song in a very novel way.

“It’s one of the most arresting songs of my career. I have tried to capture different images with each image creating a different emotion,” says Ramu about the song.

THE RAJNIKANT ANGLE

The movie also has a Rajnikant angle. Nisha’s character Ghungru is shown as a big fan of Rajnikant. She has a big poster of the superstar inside her autorickshaw and she even imitates Rajnikant’s style of action and physical movements. Incidentally, in real life, too, Nisha is a huge fan of Rajnikant.

WHEN MOHANLAL DANCED

South superstar Mohanlal plays the role of Narsimha (akin to Thakur). Instead of his hands, Babban Singh only cuts his fingers in the film. There is another thing different in Ramu’s film. There is a song in which Narsimha is shown drinking bhang and then dancing.

However, Mohanlal is not really known for his dancing skills. Choreographer Shabeena Khan worked out some real Indian dance steps for him. After initial hesitation, Mohanlal did get into the groove and showed his dance skills. Everyone from Shabeena to Ramu was impressed.

The movie also features Sushmita Sen as the widow Durga. Although she doesn’t have many dialogues, there is a muted aggression to her character.

And by the way, Ramu has called ‘RGV Ki Aag’ his “most original work” till date. Quite amusing. Isn’t it?

Quelle: http://www.apunkachoice.com/scoop/bollywood/20070830-6.html