MUMBAI: In today’s day and age when most filmmakers are hush hush about the subject of their film, the look of their characters etc, director Ram Gopal Varma has done the unusual. On 7 October, Varma along with Amitabh Bachchan and Adlabs Films managing director Manmohan Shetty unveiled the look of Gabbar to be played by Bachchan in the film titled Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay.
Revealing Gabbar’s look and characteristics Varma mentioned, “Gabbar’s one eye ball is grey and the other is brown to show his unpredictability. He also sports a scar on his nose. He wears worn out and torn long green jacket, grey fennel pants and knee length boots. He carries a stick embedded with a scorpio on it. Gabbar commutes in a jeep-like vehicle and he doesn’t have his own house. Hence he is always on the run and stays in old, deserted warehouses in the middle of Mumbai city. He is aware of all the things that happen in the world, unlike the old Gabbar who was cut off from the world.”
Varma further added, “After drafting nine looks for Gabbar, we finalized on this one. I did not make a conscious decision to make my Gabbar look different or similar to the old Gabbar. I had to design my Gabbar’s look keeping in mind the setting, timing, production and design work of the film. So this look suits it perfectly.”
Though Amitabh Bachchan didn’t come to the event dressed in his Gabbar garb, while speaking of his character he said, “I wanted to play Gabbar’s role 31 years back in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay. His role was the best, his dialogues were the best and so it attracted me a lot. But I was not given that role. I am overwhelmed that Ramu and Adlabs have given me the chance.”
Further talking about the unusual title of the film – Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay, Verma said, “I am aware that it is a very audacious statement. But this is my interpretation of Sholay. I want to see it in my vision and it belongs to me, so why shouldn’t it be called Ram Gopal Varma Ke Sholay.”
The film has been in the news lately for some good and bad reasons. Many a people in the industry have not taken well to the remake of a cult film like Sholay. “Starting from my mother, everyone told me not to remake Sholay but I didn’t listen to anyone. I saw Sholay 27 times in the year it had released and after that I lost count. It has been my most favourite film along with millions of people around the world. It gives me a high to make my favourite film in a way I wish to see it. I am not scared. I am excited. I know I have to handle it with care,” says Varma.
The film is being presented by Adlabs. Shooting for the film began last week in Mumbai with the opening shot being that of Gabbar. The film will wind up by January 2007 and plans are to release the film in May next year.
