One more for the Road Has Rajat Mukherjee's film found itself a new director in Ram Gopal Varma?

Subhash K Jha

Another Ram Gopal Varma production is ready for release. Road is already beseiged by rumours --- Varma is said to have taken over the directorial reigns from Rajat Mukherjee and reshot a large portion of the film.

Varma says, "I have become used to such talk. Recently a magazine wrote that Abhishek Bachchan dropped out of my next film Bhoot because actress Rekha was in the cast. She was not even in the picture when I approached him. She was finalised many weeks after Abhishek opted out of the film. As for me taking over Road why don't you ask Rajat Mukherjee about it?"

Mukherjee is forthright about the entire controversy. "You know how active Chief (Ram Gopal Varma) is as a producer, don't you? He decided to make some improvements in some sections, mainly the songs. So he shot them himself. And I am very grateful he took time off his own project to help me with Road to make sure the film works. All of us are working on the film. As long as that happens, I have no complaint. Chief even gives a spotboy on the sets the chance to make suggestions. We work under highly democratic conditions at Ram Gopal Varma Productions. I see no reason for the media going ballistic about Ramu taking over Road. It is his project as much as mine."

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Remind Mukherjee that such rumours could ruin his reputation, and the Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya director shoots back, "People in the film industry know I shot Road. They know that the entire Rajasthan schedules in Jaisalmer and Bikaner were shot by me. Ramu wanted Road to be one of the most commercially viable projects of his life. He suggested incorporating some scenes in the city with songs. He was there to supervise these scenes. How can I stop the film's producer from being present on the sets?"

Was Mukherjee present when these songs in the city were shot? "A couple of songs shot in Mumbai were done without me. The song that Ganesh Acharya choreographed with Koina Mitra was shot without me. I was busy with my next script when this happened. But I was present at all the other schedules including the one in Australia, where I even hunted for locations.

"There is no problem between Ramu and me. The producer has every right to make his presence felt. You can see Feroz Nadiadwala's imprint on Awara Paagal Deewana. Varma is one of the best filmmakers in the country. How can we expect him to sit back and stay out of his own production? If he advised and guided me, I consider myself lucky," Mukherjee continues.

"For now, I just want to concentrate on my script to be produced by Sunil Sadani. It features Sonu Nigam and Priyanka Chopra. The film is tentatively titled Pyar Mein Kabhi Kabhi."

Mukherjee is unaware that a film of that name featuring Rinke Khanna, Sanjay Suri and Dino Morea released a few years ago. "Oh! No wonder the writer said it was a working title. Now I will have to hunt for a new one!" he exclaims.