Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag’s downfall: ‘Largely, it had to do with my indulgence,’ says RGV [Exclusive]

“Many a times, remakes are parodied a lot because very rarely they like scenes as compared to the original. They like the original so much that they feel it's been spoiled or something. I definitely think it's one of the factors (for the derision and disastrous outcomes both critically and commercially of his Sholay remake, Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag), not the only factor...the factor, I think, is when they (the audience) see Dharmendra or Amitabh Bachchan at that time in those kind of roles, and then to suddenly see someone else, whether they're good or bad, it's very difficult to simulate, especially considering the popularity of Sholay, which incidentally never dies. So, I'd think that's one important factor, but not the only factor because I, too, had become too indulgent with the film and I had a lot of lag in it and I think it was just all over the place. S, that (the remake aspect) was just one factor, but largely, it had to do wit me, my indulgence,” said Director Ram Gopal Varma while revisiting all that went wrong with RGV Ki Aag.

In an exclusive interview with BollywoodLife, maverick filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma opened up on his upcoming horror movie, 12 ‘O’ Clock, selecting an ensemble cast from Mithun Chakraborty and Ashish Vidyarthi to Makrand Deshpande and Flora Saini, and how he intends for it to be a franchise with ideas for the next installments already swirling in his mind. He also addressed questions pertaining to his expansive career, including the movie that put him on the map, directing a new face like Nagarjuna in Bollywood with Shiva, when he has felt it’s the right time to work with stars and newcomers according to the project, whether some of his older films missed the boat for sequels and finally confesses to the million dollar question: What all went wrong with Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag and how he thought by again remaking Aag it may eventually become Sholay. Watch the interview above...