Amit Rai’s latest directorial venture OMG 2 is winning hearts of the audiences for its sensitive portrayal of the importance of sex education in India. The film stars Pankaj Tripathi, Akshay Kumar and Yami Gautam Dhar in pivotal roles. The Free Press Journal caught up with the filmmaker for an exclusive tête-à-tête.
When asked if he expected the kind of commercial success the film is being made, Amit shares, “When you are in an industry like this, you see so many films so somewhere you know what would work. I had a clue but had no idea that OMG 2 would get this kind of a reaction. And especially, if it is going steady in front of a storm, then a film is something. I am getting great feedback from the exhibitors.”
OMG – Oh My God! (2012), which was helmed by Umesh Shukla, has a huge recall value. To fit into the director’s shoes wasn’t easy for anyone and let alone carry forward the legacy ahead. Amit agrees and explains, “When I wanted to do this film, I thought I should do something different so that it shouldn’t look the same. The first one was a story of an atheist but my film is about a hardcore believer of Lord Shiva. This is a whole 360 degrees turn in itself.”
He adds, “I myself am a Lord Shiva devotee in real life so I had to tell his story. I also thought where Varanasi is synonymous with Shiva, it has been done to death in films, the ghats are overexposed. So, I took my story to Ujjain, where one of the biggest temples of Shiva is situated, Mahakaleshwar.”
Akshay, who played Lord Krishna in the first part, is seen playing Lord Shiva in the latest part. Sharing further on the ease with which he worked with one of the country's biggest movie stars, Amit recalls, “Prior to the shoot, a lot of people fed me so many different things about him and stardom. He had to shoot a bath sequence for the film. He came, asked me for the brief, removed his clothes and sat to have a bath. Generally, he doesn’t work on Sundays, but he agreed to work on Sundays too. I don’t know about the rest but I had a very good and different experience. His time management could be the reason why he is such a big star.”
OMG 2 faced the wrath of censorship way before its release. Being a filmmaker, Amit was concerned since it was his baby. “I would never understand the point of view of the censor board which they might have got from their past experiences. Even after the very first screening, I made them understand a lot, showed them references, etc. I requested them not to give A certificate since its purpose will get defeated. I am still requesting them to give U/A and let the families watch,” Amit shares.
On a parting note, he concludes, “My job is to make films and not to show agitation or protest against the censor board. Of course, I am not happy with the cuts, but I am a bit relieved that after modifying, the essence of the film didn’t die.”
