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Ajay prefers 'Omkara' to 'Othello'
Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, May 30 (IANS) So charged is Ajay Devgan about his forthcoming film "Omkara", the Hindi adaptation of Shakespeare's "Othello", that he prefers it to the original. 

"I guess everyone knows this is based on Shakespeare's 'Othello'. When I heard the script, I was very excited to do it. Usually what happens is when you see the final draft, you think, 'ok, it's nice but not as you thought it would be.' 

"This is one film I am as excited about as I was on the first day. The way Vishal Bhardwaj has adapted it I would say he has done a great job. For me, it is better than the original. Vishal is a brilliant writer and director." 

Talking about his first experience at the Cannes Film Festival, he said: "It was my first time at the Cannes. The experience was amazing. Cannes has a great film market. I didn't have time to watch any other film, as I was there only for a day." 

Ajay went to Cannes for the launch of a coffee table book on the making of "Omkara" in which he plays the title role.

"It is a coffee table book and also talks about how the thought came to Vishal to make a film on 'Othello'. The show reel on 'Omkara' was appreciated by everybody there." 

German filmmaker Roland Emmerich, who was at Cannes for the premiere of his new film, also saw the "Omkara" show reel and appreciated it a lot. "He freaked out over the promos of 'Omkara'," said Ajay.

The film is to open July 28.
 

Viveik Oberoi banks on 'Omkara'
By Saibal Chatterjee, Indo-Asian News Service

Cannes, May 21 (IANS) From the unbridled buffoonery of the laboured "Pyaare Mohan" to the intensely solemn narrative ambience of Vishal Bhardwaj's upcoming "Omkara", an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Othello", actor Viveik Oberoi has shifted gears in the hope of giving his somewhat stagnant career a bit of a fillip.

"Like any other kid in India, I grew up on a staple diet of Shakespeare," said the nattily attired Viveik in the course of a brief chat on a boat anchored in the Cannes quay. 

"I even performed a few of his classic plays in school," he added.

So was Shakespeare's "Othello" tucked away somewhere at the back of his mind when he got down to essaying the role of Kesu, modelled on Casio, in "Omkara"? 

"No, not really, I did not want to be too influenced by Shakespeare. I wanted to be free to add a dimension to it. This after all is Kesu's story, not Casio's," he explained.

"I see 'Omkara' as Vishal Bhardwaj's interpretation, and not an exact replica of the Shakespeare play. It is on the basis of that understanding that I approached my role in the film," he added. 

"Omkara" is scheduled for commercial release on July 28 although the director appears to be just as keen to have the film premiered in a major international film festival.

"It was an absolute privilege to be a part, however small, of this project. It is a film and a role that I am really proud of. It could not have happened without Vishal's unique vision," said Viveik. 

The actor will be back in a more mainstream Bollywood terrain in his next release, "Naksha", directed by first-timer Sachin Bajaj. 

"It is an action-adventure flick... a sort of Manmohan-Desai-meets-India-Jones affair," said Viveik who also has Sajid Nadiadwala's "Fool and Final" in his kitty. 

Viveik's previous attempt at being different in Sujoy Ghosh's "Home Delivery" did not exactly hit home. 

"Omkara", by the look of it, has the potential of becoming the new mantra not just for Viveik, but also for all the other actors in the film. 
 

Vishal Bhardwaj: bigger than ever 
By Saibal Chatterjee, Indo-Asian News Service

 
There is a story behind Vishal Bhardwaj's decision to adapt "Othello" for the Indian screen. 

While working with the one and only Aamir Khan in a now-aborted production, Bhardwaj had spoken of his desire to weave his next film around the central premise of the classic Shakespearean drama. At that point, the plan was to keep it small a la "Maqbool". 

But Aamir got excited and told Bhardwaj that he would love to essay the role of Iago. "That's what got me thinking," said the music director-turned-filmmaker. 

"I realised that the 'Othello' adaptation could assume the dimensions of a big-budget star-driven venture." Though Aamir subsequently dropped out of the frame and Ajay Devgan stepped in as the eponymous character, Bhardwaj still had to find his Iago. 

"It was in 'Dil Chahta Hai' that I had first seen sparks of brilliance in Saif Ali Khan. I knew he was the star who had the acting skills required to pull off the role of Langda," says Vishal. 

With actors and stars like Ajay, Saif, Viveik Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Konkona Sensharma and Naseeruddin Shah, "Omkara" has become by far the biggest film of Bhardwaj's directorial career. 

"In terms of budget, it is six times bigger than 'Maqbool'," he said. Will the impact of "Omkara" be just as huge? 
   
Lean, mean Ajay Devgan

From the Indian contingent's point of view, the first Saturday of the 59th Cannes Film Festival belonged in large measure to Ajay Devgan. 

Having shed an appreciable amount of weight, he now wears a lean, mean look, well in keeping with the persona he projects in his home production, "Omkara". 

"Director Vishal Bhardwaj has done a fabulous job of transporting William Shakespeare to an Uttar Pradesh mafia milieu. It is a great interpretation of a timeless classic," said the usually reticent Ajay.

Does the fact that he is being typecast as the strong, silent, brooding man on screen worry him? 

"Not at all," Ajay shoots back. "Two weeks ahead of the release of 'Omkara' (release date - July 28), another film of mine, 'Golmaal', will be making it to the theatres. It is an out and out comedy, a completely different kettle of fish," he added. 

At a late night bash on the beach of Carlton Intercontinental, the actor made every effort to let the eight-minute promo speak for the film. All that he would say when Bhardwaj called him up on the podium was: "It is great to be here." That's quintessential Ajay. 

No wonder Bhardwaj had no difficulty whatsoever in making up his mind about who would be best at interpreting the character of the sombre Othello.

Audience poll decides title of Bharadwaj's film
Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, May 10 (IANS) After a lot of heartburn, confusion and passionate debate, the title of Vishal Bharadwaj's film based on Shakespeare's "Othello" has been decided by a poll. "Omkara" it is.

When the cast and crew failed to choose an apt title out of three options - "Omkara", "Issak" and "O Saathi Re" - it was decided that it should be finalised by an audience poll. 

Kumar Mangat, the producer of the film, tied up with newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Net and asked readers and listeners to send their opinion. More than 80 percent voted for "Omkara". 

"We received 2.5 million votes from all over the world and 80 percent of the people voted for 'Omkara'. 'Omkara' is larger than life and we always wanted to have a title beginning with 'O'," said Mangat. 

Ajay Devgan, who plays the title role in the film, is not so happy. He said: "I wanted 'Issak'. People were a bit confused and that is why we had an audience poll. Now there's no confusion." 

However, Saif Ali Khan is thrilled with the result and said: "I am very happy, as I was always partial to the title 'Omkara'."

Bipasha Basu, one of the female leads in the film, gave a diplomatic response. 

"'Omkara' is the director's vision and when the director is happy, everyone is happy. Keeping the essence of 'Othello' intact, 'Omkara' is an entertainer with commercial actors, treated realistically in a completely different set-up and with beautiful cinematography," she said.
  

War of the titles for Bharadwaj's 'Othello'
Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, April 21 (IANS) The title of Vishal Bharadwaj's adaptation of "Othello" has been the subject of intense debate with the director hell-bent on calling it "Omkara" while the male leads, Naseeruddin Shah, Viveik Oberoi and Ajay Devgan, are keen on "Issek".

 
"I cannot imagine the film being called by any name other than 'Omkara'. It is the way the play has always been addressed across the world. There is a certain weight to the film and you can't get the film to lose that integrity with this title," said Bharadwaj. 

Ajay, who plays Omkara in the film, wants to call it "Issek".

"After all, the film is a love story and the title must reflect the film as well as create certain curiosity about the film and 'Issek' easily does both. In addition, the title 'Issek' also says something about the film's backdrop," reasoned Ajay. 

Echoing Ajay's views, Naseer said: "I don't like titles that reveal all as well as those that reveal nothing. A title must have charisma to make it curious, but not reveal everything. 'Issek' is a good title, but how will you spell it." 

Added Vivek, who plays Kesu (Cassio) in the Bollywood adaptation of the Shakespearean play: "The moment I read 'Issek' it evoked tremendous emotion. It speaks about a deep love story as well as says where the film's location in India is (Uttar Pradesh)." 

But Bharadwaj has ample support in his three actresses - Konkona Sensharma, Kareena Kapoor and Bipasha Basu.

"I like 'Omkara' a lot. 'O Sathi Re' is also nice, but not so nice. It sounds very light for such a grim story," said Konkana. 

"The film is very strong and the name 'Omkara' is very strong. It makes you think. A director like Vishal Bharadwaj should have a strong title like 'Omkara'," is Bipasha's logic.

"It is the story of Omkara and it has been a tradition to call it 'Othello' across the world whenever the play has been adapted," retorted Kareena.

While the lines are quite clearly drawn, one person who can't quite make up his mind is Saif Ali Khan, who also has a major role in the film.

"Initially, my logic was that the title should be based on the name of a character and so suggested 'Omkara'. But I am not supposed to make the decision here." 

Set against the Indian milieu of political warfare in the interiors of Uttar Pradesh, the film follows one man's descent into sexual jealousy because of his passionate love for a woman and the final destruction of that love at the altar of blind obsession. 

The film is ready and a sneak peek will be on show at the Cannes Film Festival in May. So, time could be running out -- the cast and the crew have only till the first week of May to decide the film's title.