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'Agneepath is a tribute to Amitabh Bachchan'
Karan Johar's remake of the 1990 film Agneepath will be releasing in January 2012, but the theatrical promo of the film will be launched with Salman Khan's Bodyguard tomorrow.
Karan is showing the promo so much in advance because the huge visibility of Bodyguard will ensure the maximum amount of visibility for Agneepath too.
The original Agneepath was produced by Karan's father, who always wanted to remake the film. Karan himself thought Agneepath was a very good film which did not get as much commercial success as it should have. "Agneepath has achieved cult status," says Karan, "so it was a big responsibility to make it again."
When Karan Malhotra, the director of the film, approached him two years ago, Johar was initially afraid of how it would be done, but the fear disappeared when he heard more.
"The way Karan Malhotra (KM) presented and adapted it, I was very excited. I knew that it would hit the bull's eye. Also, it was a new way of looking at Agneepath," Johar says.
'I had no reference point for playing Vijay's character'
Hrithik Roshan, who is averse to acting in remakes, had made up his mind to refuse the offer to act in the film even before the script was narrated to him.
"But when KM came all the way to Spain and narrated the script, I was bowled over," Hrithik said. "KM has a very fantastic narrative style. He narrates with the background score that he makes with his mouth, so I was completely blown away and halfway through the script reading I decided that I can't let go of this film."
Speaking about his character and whether he took references from Amitabh Bachchan, who was in the original film, Hrithik said, "We have created a completely new world and a completely new character. I'm not Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, I'm simply Vijay, and my Agneepath is the journey of one man on a mission. I am in no competition with anybody; I had no reference point for playing this character. I only took what KM had instilled within the script. So I worked from scratch."
'There should be sex in Agneepath'
Even so, comparisons with Amitabh Bachchan will be inevitable. How will he deal with that?
"If there was a competition in my mind, I would have definitely failed. I am just an actor who has given my heart and soul to this character, which is the only way I will stand apart as an individual," Hrithik replies.
Why wasn't Abhishek Bachchan asked to recreate the role that his father played? "I always follow the vision of my filmmaker. I go by the screenplay and the way they conceptualise the story, so it was my idea to take Hrithik," Johar replied.
The promo also shows Priyanka Chopra seducing Hrithik in one scene. "I added it for commercial reasons -- there should be sex in Agneepath," Johar joked.
Priyanka, however, clarified that it is not a seducing scene but is an important part of the love story that happens between Vijay and Kali -- it is an intense, pure love that they share.
Amitabh Bachchan himself has been part of the remake of Sholay (Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag) but he once tweeted that originals should be left as they are and he does not believe in remakes.
'I gave a look test for the first time in 40 years'
Rishi Kapoor was anxious because he was doing something that he had never done before. We have seen a slightly grey Rishi Kapoor in films but not a dark Rishi Kapoor in a negative role. He was himself a little sceptical about the role.
"When I was offered the film, I thought there was no place for me in this film. I thought they are probably offering me Mithun Chakraborty's role, so when Karan Malhotra read me the script, I thought he was joking because he was giving me the role of the bad guy. I thought if the film does not do well then I will be the reason. I don't look like a bad guy from any angle."
But Malhotra was hell bent on his doing the role, so for the first time in his life, Kapoor gave a screen test. "I gave a look test for the first time in 40 years because I wanted to convince myself that I was capable of a negative role," he said.
'Sanjay Dutt's Kancha Cheena in Agneepath will be the comeback of villain'
How similar are the two films and what are the differences?
"I would say that the basic plot of the film is the same. It starts in Mandwa and ends in Mandwa. The similarities end there. After that, the whole thing is different," says the director.
This is also the first time that Karan Johar will be producing an out-and-out action film. "If I were to direct a film like this, I would not be able to do it. I am incapable of it. There has been only one action scene in my entire film career, when Amitji slaps Hrithik in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. That is the only violence that I have ever had in my films. It is overwhelming for us to have a film like this at Dharma since my foray into films with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998."
Like the hero made a comeback with Dabangg and Singham, after seeing Agneepath's promo, we can say that soon the villain will make a comeback with Sanjay Dutt's Kancha Cheena and Agneepath.