The blame game

This may sound fair when the star in question claims what was offered to them in the script did not translate on screen. Mahie Gill whose Pal Pal Dil Ke Ssat was timed well after she gave two hits — Anurag Kashyap’s Dev.D and Gulaal — says that when she signed the film,she was told the film will be shot in New Zealand. However,the unit didn’t go beyond Delhi and Kerala. “The script didn’t have Vinod Kambli’s character and the film was supposed to have been released only in the South. Is this not plain unfair?” she questions.

More often than not,such issues are brushed under the carpet and do not surface in public. Like Sanjay Gadhvi’s Kidnap where actor Sanjay Dutt refused to stand by the film as he knew it would bomb at the box office. Or in the case of Anubhav Sinha’s Cash where Ajay Devgan went into hiding. Sometimes,personal issues seep in too. It’s being whispered that Dutt may not be visible when Anthony D’Souza’s Blue releases this year as his co-star Kumar has been given more screen space than him.

The actors may make sense but the filmmakers feel backstabbed as a commitment to a film — an unwritten rule — is supposed to last till the film releases. Besides,it’s one thing to back off— refusing to lend your “brand” to a film— and it’s another to go public with that sentiment.

Rajiv Kumar,the director of Chal Chala Chal,is one such victim. The film was embroiled in controversy when Govinda spoke out against him and Priyadarshan,claiming that he signed the film upon the latter’s insistence. “I agree that Priyadarshan had promised him that he would be equally attentive to the project. If he got busy and couldn’t do so,it didn’t change the script or the story.

Govinda didn’t say a word during the making but chose to go public with the matter and also time it with the release,” says Kumar.

However,director Manish Gupta,whose Karma Aur Holi was run down by Sushmita Sen for its poor production,feels the star was justified. “I know the producers messed up here,” he complains. Interestingly,Gupta also admits that Sen’s lashing out actually helped the movie instead of affecting it adversely. “Her statements actually got the audiences curious and drove them to the theatres. The film didn’t do so bad,finally,” he laughs.

But trade analyst Ashok Pandit feels no mercy for the stars. According to him,it’s unfair on their part to stake claim for success but pass the buck when their films fail.

“How many of us have the guts to stand by our decisions? And if the project gets messed up,it isn’t only the filmmaker’s fault. Everyone’s responsible. An actor should stand by the failures as he does with successes.”