I love the original Agneepath: Sanjay Dutt

MUMBAI: Though Amitabh Bachchan starrer Agneepath did not catch the eye of the audience, the remake has already grabbed eyeballs. But actor Sanjay Dutt, who plays the dreaded villain in the latest version feels the original was much ahead of its time.

The 1990 cult classic, directed by Mukul Anand, featured Big B as the iconic Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, Danny Denzongpa as Kancha Cheena, the baddie and Mithun Chakraborty as the lovable coconut seller Krishnan Iyer MA. Despite a stellar cast Agneepath failed at the box office commercially but Bachchan's performance was praised.

Producer Yash Johar's son, Karan has remade the film in the same name now starring Hrithik Roshan and Dutt. It has already created quite a buzz, unlike the original.

"I loved the film (original) and if I was the whole of audience, I would have made it a big hit. I think may be the film was too ahead of times..Mukul is a brilliant director in his work...his vision was so much ahead of his time," Sanjay said in an interview.

"I have seen original film several times. I lived the dialogues of the film and performances of Amitji, Danny and Mithun Da," he said.

Although the remake would have new actors reprising the iconic characters again, except for the basic plot of revenge, the new Agneepath has a different story. "The premise is same. Vijay Dinanth Chauhan, Kancha is there...the revenge story where Vijay comes to Mandwa is same. It is a revenge story but the setting is totally different. It is very grounded film here Kancha wears dhoti, kurti and kolhapuri footwear and Vijay is also a simple man. He (Karan Malhotra) has made it as a very real grounded and rustic film," Sanjay said.

The new Agneepath also featuring Priyanka Chopra is up for release on January 26.

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Marriage hasn’t affected films: Genelia

MUMBAI: Ever since Riteish Deshmukh announced his wedding to long-time girlfriend Genelia D’Souza, talks have been rife that filmmakers are being forced to reschedule their projects due to the nuptials. Zombie comedy Rock The Shaadi makers, Balaji Motion Pictures, have openly stated that they “had to push the shoot dates by almost a month to work around Genelia’s wedding dates.”

“None of my films are delayed due to the wedding,” protests the bride-to-be, adding that Rock The Shaadi was supposed to be wrapped up by November last year. “Thanks to the film’s setting, it has to be shot around marriage celebrations. But they couldn’t get required permission for outdoor shoots due to the ongoing wedding season. So, it had to be postponed. I think it will be wrapped up by the end of February,” Genelia explains.

Riteish, on his part, too blasts such reports. “All my films, including Kya Super Kool Hai Hum, are running as per schedule. And there won’t be any delays,” he says. Incidentally, Riteish’s film is also being produced by the same production house.

What the soon-to-be-wed duo are now focused on is their February 3 wedding, and their upcoming film, Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya. “Riteish and I have been very busy over the last year, so it was a great opportunity to spend time with each other during the shoot.

We also re-discovered one another as actors,” Genelia says. The couple, who’s starred together in films like Tujhe Meri Kasam (2003) and Masti (2004), have decided against taking up offers just for the sake of working together. “It has to be the right film and script for us,” says the female star, whose wedding is set to take place at one of the suburban five star hotels, and will probably be a traditional Maharastrian wedding with a Christian reception.

‘Will continue acting’
Genelia D’Souza is trying to keep her wedding to co-star Riteish Deshmukh private. “I want it to remain a family affair with just a few close friends from the film fraternity,” she says, feigning ignorance about a mega-bash apparently being planned by filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala and actor Fardeen Khan a day before she ties the knot.

Apparently zeroing in on designs by Surily Goel, Ritu Kumar and Manish Malhotra, Genelia admits that preparations for D-day are in full swing now, adding, “We aren’t nervous, but there’s a lot of excitement on both sides.”

Ask how she plans to prioritise her career after settling down, and she says, “I will continue acting, but haven’t decided to what extent."

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