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on 2006/8/29 8:23:35
Ramu says goodbye to Manoj for good, signs Sushant Singh instead as Sambha in his Sholay
The much-discussed midnight meeting between Manoj Bajpai and his erstwhile mentor Ram Gopal Varma came to a stalemate because apparently Manoj wanted to play Veeru (the part originally played by Amitabh Bachchan in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay) rather than Sambha (the role of Gabbar Singh’s main side-kick, originally played by Mac Mohan).
Ramu smiles non-commitally when asked whether Bajpai demanded to play Veeru. “I wouldn’t like to comment on whether Mr Bajpai wanted to play Veeru or not. All I’ll say is, actors are meant to play characters. I’d never change my cast for any actor’s sake. Anyway I wouldn’t like to go into the details about our meeting. I feel it was a confidential private interface between two people. My final word on Mr Bajpai, I had decided not to work with Mr Bajpai. I gave it a chance. It didn’t work out. My decision to not work with Mr Bajpai is final. As I’ve said Mr Bachchan as Gabbar is the only casting in Sholay that’s indispensable. Manoj and I cannot see eye-to-eye, ever. I wish him all the best.”
The day after his meeting with Manoj, Ramu has signed the talented Sushant Singh for Sambha’s role in his Sholay. “When I met Sushant for Sambha’s role I suddenly realised how stupid I was to not think of him for the role. We’ve worked in Satya, Kaun and Jungle, but not afterwards. He’s immensely talented.”
Ramu intends to expand on the character since it was last seen in Ramesh Sippy’s film. “When Sambha was written I doubt that anyone thought it would acquire such popularity over the years in spite of the role being so small. In my Sholay, Sambha will have a lot more to do because my Sholay is re-located in Mumbai. Sambha will be Gabbar’s operative arm in Mumbai. I remember there were moments in Sholay where we got a glimpse of the bonding between Gabbar and Sambha. I intend to build on their friendship. There are so many aspects to Sholay that can be examined and expanded on.”
Ramu adds, “In its re-telling over and over again the characters have acquired a certain legendary status. I want to give my own interpretation. Like Francis Coppola’s take on Dracula. He took the blood-sucking vampire and interpreted it in an all-new way. However, my challenge is to steer as close to the original Sholay as possible while interpreting it in my own way. There was a structural difference between my Sarkar and the original source material The Godfather. In Sholay, my intention is different. I want to see how an encounter cop taking revenge for the massacre of his family would react in 2006. Unlike Sarkar which was very different from The Godfather my Sholay wouldn’t be very different. There isn’t a single thing from Sholay that I want to take away. My Gabbar would be an international gangster keeping track of international terrorism. He will have an opinion on global politics, for example what mistakes the US made in attacking Iraq. It’s like this. The original Sholay is a woman in a ghagra-choli. I want to change her clothes and make her walk the ramp. They’re both equally beautiful.”
• My decision to not work with Mr Bajpai is final. As I’ve said Mr Bachchan as Gabbar is the only casting in Sholay that’s indispensable. Manoj and I cannot see eye-to-eye, ever. I wish him all the best — Ram Gopal Verma
source:mumbaimirror
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