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Raveena Tandon plays Shobhaa De in next?
Even as Raveena Tandon gets ready to take her new film Shobhna's 7 Nights -- about a rich, bored columnist-author, who gets into a relationship with a struggling actor moonlighting as a gigolo -- to the Indian Film Festival in Houston, the film seems to be getting into a series of sticky situations because of the resemblance some characters bear to real-life figures from the Indian entertainment and publishing industries.
To begin with, Raveena's character is partly inspired by Shobhaa De, the distinguished columnist and novelist, a fact director Sudipto Chattopadhyay verifies.
He admits the character has been "expanded into a colourful scandalous avatar," which may not go down well with Ms De.
'Rohit Roy is not only playing a character modelled on Atul Kasbekar, Rohit even resembles him'
Rohit Roy's character of a dashing glamour photographer is apparently modelled on Atul Kasbekar.
"It's true," Sudipto confirms. "When I wrote the character of a good looking glamour photographer, who hobnobs with the sexiest models and actresses, I could think of only Atul.
In fact, when I prepared the concept posters for Shobhna's 7 Nights, I put Atul's picture in them. Later, when I signed Rohit for the role, I saw an uncanny physical resemblance with Atul Kasbekar.
So you see, Rohit is not only playing a character modelled on Atul, Rohit even resembles him."
Atul Kasbekar: I hope the reel portrayal is more interesting than the real
When asked about his on-screen avatar, Atul Kasbekar appeared amused.
"This is the first time I am hearing about it. I hope the reel portrayal is more interesting than the real," he says.
Anupam Kher to play David Davidar?
Anupam Kher plays a publisher named Harry Davidar of Walrus Books, who gets into a serious controversy in the film.
The character bears an unmistakable resemblance to real-life hotshot publisher and novelist David Davidar.
'The characters in my film are based on iconic names'
David Davidar's nephew apparently contacted Sudipto and asked that Kher's character's name be changed in the film.
"David Davidar's nephew Jonathan did contact me to change Anupam's character's name. But it was too late," confirms Sudipto.
"There was nothing I could do. Whether it's Shobhaa, Atul or David, I hope they understand that the characters in my film are based on them simply because these are iconic names in the entertainment and publishing industries and you just can't get away from it."