Hrithik-Zayed to be Ram-Laxman

Sanjay Khan, a secular Muslim whose family members have married into every conceivable religion and community and who once produced a controversial television serial on the life of the notorious Islamic invader Tipu Sultan, is all set to do his own big-screen take on the Ramayan.

Throwing light on this precious epic project Sanjay Khan's son Zayed says, "Yes, my father is indeed making the Ramayan. It's called The Legend Of Rama.

He has been planning this film for three years. But he needed the perfect Rama. And who but Hrithik would be perfect for the role? Earlier Hrithik had no dates. But now he's doing very selected films."

As for Zayed as Laxman the young actor who will be seen as the pampered younger brother Subhash Ghai's Yuvraaj chuckles, "Playing Laxman in one form or another is the story of my life."

Amitabh Bachchan had been approached to play Dashrath two years ago. And it's likely that he would continue being functional in that role.

The Legend Of Rama co-scripted by Sanjay Khan and Briton-based author Faroukh Dhondy will feature the producer-director's superstar son-in-law Hrithik Roshan as Rama and Sanjay Khan's only son Zayed as Laxman.

Dhondy who's currently in Mumbai to put finishing touches to the script. "The script is ready. Hrithik is the perfect Rama and Zayed the perfect Laxman. I'd love them to do it. It's the Ramayan in modern format. It's not a modern but a traditional adaptation but with the grammar of a modern films.

This means it would be the Ramayan in The Lord Of The Rings genre. The screenplay has the motion motivation and movement of a Shakespearean play.

When you do a Mahabharat, Ramayan or any other scripture the danger is, it just becomes…. the Gods did this Gods did that because the Gods can do anything they like.

That's why you are taught in writing school to never include Gods in your creativity. I'm trying to rationalize the ways of the Gods."

Interestingly, Raj Kumar Santoshi had announced the Ramayan with Ajay Devan, Kajol and Riteish Deshmukh as Rama, Sita and Laxman.

The project was shelved. Some years ago an ambitious filmmaker made Luv –Kush with Jeetendra and Jaya Prada as Rama and Sita. It flopped. And this year Ekta Kapoor's ambitious serial Mahabharat floundered and fell from the TRPs.

But now Sanjay Khan is determined to break the jinx on the mythologicals.