Ram Gopal Varma and Vivek Oberoi patch up
Ram Gopal Varma is counted among the close friends of the Bachchan family, while Vivek Oberoi is considered neither close nor a friend of the family that his ex Aishwarya Bachchan married into, so it is interesting that Ramu has signed VO for a lead role in his next. And not very long ago, the director blasted the actor and called him unprofessional, starry, and swore never to work with him again; they had worked together in Company (and Ramu's home production Road).
Now the pair is coming together for Rakta Charitra. Ramu says he never had a problem with the actor, "It's just that he got busy with his work and I with mine. We met off and on. Also, after Company, I didn't have a better role for him."
He adds, "My decision to cast Vivek is a professional one as he's best suited to play the role of Paritala Ravi. It's a very complex role and Vivek has to play the man at different stages in life and differing ages. Rakta Charitra deals with the story of a rebel from the jungles rising to the position of a minister in NT Rama Rao's Cabinet. Ravi was a rebel, a political goonda, a killer of hundreds and yet a saviour of the thousands who still come to pay homage at his grave. After surviving several assassination attempts, Ravi was gunned down by a death squad allegedly put together by his arch rival Suri who wanted to avenge his father's and brother's deaths."
Ramu
feels
Vivek
will
do
full
justice
to
the
role,
"He
has
remarkable
intensity
in
his
eyes,
and
a
voice
which
commands
attention,
an
arrogance
in
his
demeanour,
power
in
his
stance
and
a
certain
vulnerability
in
romantic
scenes,
which
is
what
is
needed
to
fit
a
role
of
Paritala
Ravi's
profile."
Ramu
is
also
impressed
with
the
actor's
preparation
for
the
part,
"In
just
three
days,
he
was
ready
with
his
research
and
look
tests.
I
was
sold
on
the
look.
I
was
absolutely
convinced
that
my
search
had
ended."
RGV adds, "Rakta Charitara will be shot at one stretch and will release in two parts (Rakta Charitra 1 and Rakta Charitra 2) three months apart. The first part will deal with Ravi going to the jungles and becoming a rebel and the second will be about his rise as a political gangster in mainstream politics."