Mumbai: Ram Gopal Varma sent Esha Koppikar an SMS apologizing for the five-year delay in the release of her film Shabri, which he produced.

But the semi-retired actress who has been hoping her heroine-oriented performance in Shabri would be a befitting swan-song to her career, is far from placated.

Says Koppikar, “Yes, he texted me saying I must have lost trust in him because of all these years of delay in release.”

But Koppikar is revolted by Varma’s lack of interest in Shabri. “What do you have to say when a producer doesn’t participate in the publicity of his own film?”

She holds Varma responsible for the delay in release. “Who else should I hold responsible? There were never any answers given. He was always busy with other films, not Shabri.”

Varma on his part seemed anything but penitent at the delay in the release of Shabri.

When told how upset Koppikar was, Varma replied, “I am very busy with the shooting of Department. Shabri is written and directed by Lalit Marathe. Hence for all practical purposes the creative decisions are his. As for why the film was delayed please ask Reliance (the film’s co-producers). I have nothing more to say on this matter.”

Shabri director Lalit Marathe added, “I don’t know why the release was delayed so much. I felt my responsibility as a director was not complete till my film hit the theaters. The thought of seeing my film released gave me sleepless nights. I’ve no reason to blame Ram Gopal Varma whom I consider my mentor. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have been able to make Shabri in the first place. I believe it is only because of RGV that Shabri could get a release.”