“I cried uncontrollably when I heard of Jiah’s suicide”: Ram Gopal Varma

In his book, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has touched upon various sensitive subjects which include the unnatural death of actor Jiya Khan and casting Amitabh Bachchan in his film ‘Nihshabd’ which could not save the film from drowning in the box office.

One of the chapters is titled as ‘My Love Affair With Amitabh Bachchan’ where Varma discusses what made him choose Bachchan for ‘Nihshabd’ and also how he perceived the film’s commercial failure.

Amitji’s make up man told me on day one of the shooting of Nishabd that the film wouldn’t work, because no one was going to accept Amitji in a role like that. Whether that was the reason or not, I myself as a viewer probably wouldn’t want to see him in a role like that,” writes Varma. The director believes that behind the obvious power and intensity, Bachchan carries a vulnerability. “The point I am trying to make is that he has never failed as an actor and he never will. It’s only directors, myself included, who frequently fail to capture his art in the right context.”- he said.

Jiah Khan’s death, which is apparently called a suicide but has debates on about it, had shaken Bollywood. Jia was Big B’s leading lady in ‘Nihshabd’. “When I heard of her suicide, I cried uncontrollably though I was never really close to her. She was one of the few people who couldn’t cope with the disappointments and frustrations the film industry is replete with.”- the director said, in this context.

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Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.