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Upala KBR (DNA; September 6, 2014)

Enlarge ImageNews of Karan Johar’s remake of Subhash Ghai’s Ram Lakhan, with Rohit Shetty directing, has not gone down well with at least three cast members of the original cast — Anil Kapoor (Lakhan), Jackie Shroff (Ram) and Rakhee (their screen mother). Names like Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Sushant Singh Rajput and Ajay Devgn are being tossed around as potential casting choices to play the brothers.

What’s the problem?
Says a source, “Anil, Jackie and Rakhee were caught unawares when KJo made the announcement on Twitter. Anil’s been asked about the remake but he expresses his disappointment by refusing to talk about the film. But those close to him reveal that he believes that a film like Ram Lakhan should never be remade. Jackie, on the other hand, is not against remakes per se, but is too attached to the film to see it being remade again.”

Jackie’s two bits
Calling Shetty a shining star, Jackie says, “Rohit’s very good and I have acted in a remake before (Devdas). So there are no issues there. And as long as you’re sincere, it being a remake or not doesn’t matter. I feel Arjun Kapoor as Ram and Ranveer Singh as Lakhan would do well. But my number one choice to play Ram and Lakhan would have to be me and Anil. It always will be. There is no other choice. Ram Lakhan can’t be remade.”

Ghai’s take
Rakhee also is ‘mum’ on the subject of the remake. The director of the original, Ghai, who’s co-producing the remake with Johar, is gung-ho about the film, “Ram Lakhan is being remade by Dharma in association with Mukta Arts. I am curious to know who will come on board as lead actors. Karan can rope in any star...”