No panga with Akki: Vipul Shah unplugged

By Taran Adarsh Bollywood Hungama News Network

Everyone's aware that Rajkumar Santoshi was supposed to direct LONDON DREAMS initially, before Vipul Shah took over. But not many are aware that Vipul re-wrote and changed the entire script that Santoshi was to make. "I've just retained one sequence from that script," the talented film-maker tells me.

The film-maker has a fantastic track record, with AANKHEN, WAQT, NAMASTEY LONDON and SINGH IS KINNG receiving a warm welcome from moviegoers. The viewers are bound to compare LONDON DREAMS with Vipul's earlier works. "I am not worried. I feel I've only evolved as a storyteller with LONDON DREAMS. I strongly feel that this is my best film to date," he says with utmost modesty.

There's talk that the film bears a striking resemblance to ROCK ON!!, YAARANA [Amitabh, Amjad Khan], SAAJAN and even ABHIMAAN. "Well, they were great films, but LONDON DREAMS is not remotely similar to any film. The sole similarity with ROCK ON!! is that the protagonists have a music band. In fact, when I signed Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy for LONDON DREAMS, the sole request was, don't give me any tune that's similar to ROCK ON!!," Vipul clarifies.

Another rumour doing the rounds is that there's friction in Vipul and Akshay Kumar's friendship. "You may find this hard to believe, but Akshay was the first person I spoke to about the casting [Salman and Ajay]. His instant reaction was, it's an ideal cast. If at all there was any friction, we would've been unable to complete ACTION REPLAY in a record time. Also, we wouldn't be contemplating starting SINGH IS KINNG 2, if we weren't on good terms," Vipul states.

While on SINGH IS KINNG 2, there's talk that Vipul will direct the second instalment himself [Anees Bazmee had directed the first part]. "It's still undecided. My first choice would be Anees-ji, but if he's over-committed with work, I'd take the directorial reins in my hand," Vipul reveals.

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