When Amitabh Bachchan opened up about playing Gabbar Singh in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag: ‘Every creative artiste must have the liberty to…'

Indian Express

08-08-2025

As Sholay turns 50 next week, its enduring legacy remains unquestioned. Over the past five decades, countless filmmakers have spoken about how deeply influential the 1975 blockbuster has been on their careers, often calling it a 'true blue classic.' But perhaps no one paid tribute to the film more directly than director Ram Gopal Varma.
'When I was first narrated the story of Sholay, I wanted to play the role of Gabbar Singh, and I had asked Ramesh Sippy (the director of Sholay) to let me play this character. But unfortunately, that didn't happen. But now it's finally happening, and I'm very delighted,' he said. When asked whether it was daunting to take on such an iconic role, he responded: 'Obviously. No matter what character we do as actors, it comes with its own challenges. So whether it's Gabbar or somebody else…' Bachchan also came out in support of Varma amid the criticism the filmmaker was receiving at the time: 'I think every creative artiste must have the liberty to present his work in whichever manner he wants. Then it is the liberty of the audience to criticise it or appreciate it. But I guess that liberty should be given to him.'
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Ram Gopal Varma, too, spoke candidly to Wild Films India during the film's announcement, opening up about his motivation behind remaking Sholay.
RGV said, 'I was a very big fan of the original film. I watched it 27 times in 4 months. For the first 5–6 times, I watched it just for the story, screenplay, and dialogues. But later on, I watched it to understand its technicality, the way it was shot, the sound design, even though at that time I wasn't even sure whether I would become a filmmaker. But I watched it so closely, and I believe it's principally responsible for making me a filmmaker today. I always believe that ideas never grow old, only the packaging does. Technology changes, the presentation changes. So if you take an idea which worked so well 30 years back, so what if you position it in a newer way with current technology? That's how the idea of making the film started'
Despite the passion behind it, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag was a massive box office failure and faced harsh criticism from both fans and critics. It was even dubbed 'the worst film ever made' by many. In the years following its release, both Amitabh Bachchan and RGV have acknowledged that the film was a mistake in their respective careers.