Ram Gopal Varma to resurrect Vivek Oberoi's career

He launched Vivek Oberoi seven years back and filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has once again come to actor's rescue as he says that his upcoming directorial venture 'Rakta Charitra' will resurrect Vivek's career.

After launching him in superhit 'Company' in 2002, Varma went ahead and made 'Road' and 'Dum' with the actor, who was being touted as the next big thing in Bollywood.

Then came Yashraj's 'Saathiya' which marked the biggest hit of Vivek's career but little did the actor know that its about relationships and right attitude in Bollywood.

Soon after his infamous Salman Khan-bashing press conference, came Vivek's downfall with no leading filmmaker wanting to work him.

The actor's high-headedness even put off his mentor, Varma, and the filmmaker vowed not to work with him again.

However, after Vivek's constant effort to rebuild their relationship, the two have buried their hatchet and this time Varma is launching the actor as Paritala Ravi in 'Rakta Charitra', a biopic on rebel-turned-politician in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh.

"Vivek is a very fine actor. I have always had faith in his potential," Varma said.

The director added that Vivek was the perfect choice for the role as no one else could have pulled off the character.

"I know that if given a powerful role, Vivek can do wonders and that is what he has done in Rakta Charitra. It is going to be the biggest film of his career," Varma added.

It was Vivek's intensity coupled with his vulnerability, which made him a perfect choice to play Paritala Ravi, according to Varma.

The director has finished shooting 80 per cent of the film which is being simultaneously shot in Hindi, Telegu and Tamil.

Another actor, who Varma says will be the surprise package in the film, is Shatrughan Sinha, who will be seen new moustache-less avatar playing a role inspired by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N T Rama Rao.

Varma, who "reinvented" Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan with films like 'Nishabd', 'Ram Gopal Verma Ki Aag' and 'Sarkar' says it is exciting for him to cast senior actors and give them roles which challenge their existing image.

"I have always admired Shatrughan Sinha and I was keen to do something drastically different with him which you will see in Rakta Charitra. His character plays a major part in the rise of Ravi," Varma said.

The filmmaker is also bringing South Indian star Suriya to Bollywood. Since it's actor's first Hindi film, Suriya is leaving no stone unturned to vow the Bollywood audience.

Suriya, whose lead role in 'Ghajini' was emulated by Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan in its Hindi remake, seems to have convincingly impressed director. With muscular body and a highly emoting face, Suriya is any director's dream, Varma says.

"Suriya is the one to watch out for," said Varma.

'Rakta Charitra' is about 5 hours long and will be divided into two parts and released within three months gap.

The first part is expected to hit the screens in August.

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Ram Gopal Varma`s Rann inspiring Nepal`s former Maoist guerrillas

Two years afterRam Gopal Varma `s remake of the Bollywood classic `Sholay` suffered censors` scissors in Nepal, the film director`s new release `Rann` has met with an entirely different response here, with top Maoist leaders calling it "inspiring".

Nepal`s former Maoist guerrillas, who had often called for a ban on Hindi films during their 10-year "People`s War", have now trooped to see "Rann", starring Amitabh Bachchan, who plays a media tycoon grappling with wily politicians.

Former Maoist finance minister Baburam Bhattarai and his wife and former tourism minister Hisila Yami were given a red-carpet treatment by the owners of the Gopi Krishna multiplex in Kathmandu, close to deposed king Gyanendra`s former residence, when they turned up to watch "Rann" at a special screening, the Kantipur daily reported.

At a time Nepal`s politicians are busy drafting the new constitution, the Maoist couple expressed a desire to see the medley of news and politics, two essential ingredients of the Maoist movement. The two chose the latest Bollywood release over James Cameron`s blockbuster "Avatar" and were led to a special cabin in the theatre to watch Amitabh Bachchan, Paresh Rawal and Gul Panag in action.

As the film started, more Maoist leaders began to enter. They included two of the deputy commanders of the Maoists` underground People`s Liberation Army, Nanda Kishor Pun Pasang and Chandra Prakash Khanal Baldev as well as Maoist MPs Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Netra Bikram Chand.

The otherwise frantically busy leaders watched the film for nearly two hours, mesmerised. At the end, while leaving the theatre, Bhattarai, whose name had been doing the rounds as the next prime minister of Nepal, had a comment.

"Films like these are an inspiration for us politicians," the daily quoted the scholar from New Delhi`s Jawaharlal Nehru University as saying. "It sends out the message that politicians have to reach top posts through ability."

Yami, a former student of Delhi`s School of Planning and Architecture and a peer of Arundhati Roy also had a comment.

"The film teaches us that you shouldn`t join politics till you have won people`s faith," the former minister said."Even if you try to hide your sins by bribing the media, one day they will be out.

"The praise was in sharp contrast to the way the censor authorities in Nepal had cut "Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag", a remake of "Sholay", two years back.The Maoist couple had also recently watched "3 Idiots", the top-grossing Bollywood film starring Aamir Khan and directed by Raj Kumar Hirani.

Last year, the Maoist-led government banned Bollywood action comedy "From Chandni Chowk to China" for wrongly describing India as the birthplace of the Buddha, who was born in southern Nepal.

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