A senior cop called up Ram Gopal Varma after watching Aag, made both him and Amitabh Bachcahn ‘look like fools’

Ram Gopal Varma explained recalled an anecdote about the infamous RGV Ki Aag, and said that a mistake made both him and Amitabh Bachchan look like fools.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | April 18, 2024 11:10 AM IST

2 min read

Ram Gopal Varma shared an interesting story about his film Aag. (Photo: RGV/Instagram)

Director Ram Gopal Varma discussed how certain decisions made while producing a film can only be fully understood after the film is released, as filmmakers and actors can lose objectivity. RGV cited the example of his own film, Aag, and how the decision to show Amitabh Bachchan as a laid-back police officer backfired on them. This was perceived by at least one audience member as the character having a fever, which RGV hadn’t even realised during the film’s editing process.

In an interview with Film Companion, RGV said, “When I did Aag, for Amitabh Bachchan’s character, I had this idea that he has a very laid-back attitude and is lazy with his power, and he has this thing where when he laughs, he sounds like a cough. This is what I thought, and I thought it was brilliant, and Mr Bachchan did that.”

He continued, “And the film was released, and one very senior police officer called me and said, ‘Why is your villain with a fever in the first scene?’ Because the laid-back, connected to the cough, looked like fever. No one told me.” According to him, this blindness to reality arises because individuals become overly invested in their decisions, losing sight of the project’s actual potential.

Also read | Ram Gopal Varma recalls the only disagreement he’s ever had with Amitabh Bachchan: ‘He called me at night and said I was right’

He said, “The film is being made in parts. Every time something else influences you, which is the reason 90% films fail. You become completely blind to what you are making because of the simple reason you are testing it on your decision. I managed to make Bachchan also believe. Now Bachchan is not a fool. I’m not a fool. But we became fools because this is how it happens.”

Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, which also featured Ajay Devgn and Mohanlal, is a remake of the classic film Sholay. It is widely regarded as one of the worst films in Hindi cinema history.

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