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Hrithik-Varma together?
It's all rumours, say the actor and filmmaker
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Subhash K Jha
In showbiz, you only have to sneeze for the trade to catch a cold. It started as a harmless enough rumour. It was about Ram Gopal Varma, one of India's most enterprising filmmakers, to work with Bollywood's superstar Hrithik Roshan.
On a theoretical level, it made a lot of sense to have the two come together for a project. Roshan shot to fame with his debut film, Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai and, subsequently, won acclaim for his performance in Khalid Mohamed's Fiza.
The rejection of Hrithik's recent candyfloss concoctions like Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, starring Esha Deol; Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage, starring Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai star Amisha Patel, and Mujhse Dosti Karoge, proves he is ready, willing and equipped for a complete makeover of image. Who better qualified to give actor a brand new look and image than Ram Gopal Varma.
Reportedly, Varma and his blue-eyed boy Vivek Oberoi, who debuted in the former's Company, had a fall out. It may be recalled that Company won a lot of acclaim for Varma, as well as Oberoi, Ajay Devgan and Malayalam superstar Mohanlal.
The director had blocked Oberoi's dates between October and December for a possible film together. Now, Varma has sent father Suresh Oberoi and son Vivek a letter stating those dates can be utilised elsewhere.
But are Roshan and Varma working together? Speaking from New Zealand where he is shooting for Sooraj Barjatya's Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, Roshan says, "It is a fact that Ram Gopal Varma and I met at my father's [filmmaker Rakesh Roshan] editing studio in suburban Mumbai. Varma edits all his films there. When I dropped in at our office, he invited me to watch some songs from his forthcoming film Road [starring Vivek Oberoi, Antara Mali and Manoj Bajpai]. We started chatting and came home for a few drinks. But nothing concrete came of it. Actually, we have been discussing ideas off and on. We might work together in the near future. As of now, there is no tangible plan to do so."
Varma confirms, "Of course, Hrithik and I met and talked. But all this talk of doing a film together is just talk now. I have had several discussions with Shah Rukh Khan too in the past. But we still have not been able to work together. With Hrithik too there are no immediate plans. Right now I am concentrating on Bhoot. We have just finished one schedule. The next starts very soon."