Saif is very upset with Tashan

By Subhash K Jha

Saif Ali Khan has been telling his friends that a lot of his role in Tashan was cut on the editing table. However the truth is, only one big sequence of Saif had to be cut. But since it was with Kareena Kapoor, Saif is not happy about the ways of the scissors.

Director Vijay Krishna Acharya is unfazed though slight taken aback by the severity of the criticism against Tashan. "Yes, certain scenes had to be cut. But I don't think any actor is specially unhappy about a normal procedure like editing to tighten a film.

In fact Akshay Kumar, director Nikhil Advani (who's a friend) and the rest of the unit of Chandni Chowk To China saw the film in Bangkok the other day. They loved it." Vijay ponders over the film's fate.

"I didn't know I had made the worst film on this planet. A lot of the venom was directed at my producer Yashraj Films, for whatever reasons. But I'm happy to say in spite of Tashan not opening at multiplexes it has collected almost as much as Yashraj Films' Fanaa. And that's saying a lot."

The severe backlash notwithstanding Tashan director Vijay Krishna Acharya better known as Victor is all set to direct another film for Yashraj Films.

"Yes I'm going to be directing my next film sooner than I had thought I would. While I'll be helping out my mentor Mani Ratnam with his new project I'll simultaneously work on my own film.

It's very important for me to direct another film and let my critics know that my convictions as a filmmaker remain unshaken. Though it'll be nothing like Tashan my next film too will be as whimsical.It's always going to be my way."

And yes, Yashraj Films is not backing out of Acharya's next. "I'm thankful for their belief in me. I don't think anyone of us feels I made the wrong film. Now that Tashan has opened in multiplexes we're hoping to tilt the imbalance in the performance level."