'It's just another film, what's the big d

Amitabh Bachchan

The Big B is in the thick of shooting for Sholay. "It's a challenge to recreate Sholay and Gabbar Singh. It's obviously Ram Gopal Varma's interpretation, and I'm going completely by what he has envisaged. I must say I'm enjoying myself thoroughly," he says.

The Gabbar look has been much discussed and speculated about in the media. AB explains, "I think it's preferable to let the public see what look Ramu had in mind for me, rather than let the speculation go on. Instead, we gave them my look and said, 'Buddy, what's the fuss about?

Now you know what Gabbar looks like.' I'm happy Ramu did the unveiling of the look. We're just making another film, no big deal. I've several projects with Ramu."

Creative challenge

When reminded that Sholay is no ordinary film, the Big B concurs. "Well, okay. It's a great challenge to remake an film that's already exemplary and to be doing a character other than the one I had done in the original.

These are all challenges of life and creativity. There's a creative freedom being exercised here. No need to find exclamation and question marks there."

The Big B admits that he wanted to play Gabbar in the original. "I was keen on playing Gabbar and expressed my wish to Rameshji (Sippy). As for the look that Ramu has devised for me, it's his idea and I'm doing it the way he wants me to do it. I'm comfortable with the look."

Filmi fever

His other films, Nishabd and Cheeni Kam, are complete. "I go on to BR Films' Bhootnath, to be directed by Vivek Sharma, where I play a ghost.

Then there's Ramu's Sarkar 2, Shoojit Sarkar's Johnny Walker and one more film with Rakeysh Mehra and Vidhu Vinod Chopra each. Let's see what the year has in store. Every year has its ups and downs. Life wouldn't be worth living if one didn't face problems."