Bollywood filmmaker Amit Rai is currently basking in the success of his latest release, 'OMG 2', starring Pankaj Tripathi and Akshay Kumar. The film was mired in controversies ever since it was announced, but it finally managed to hit the theatres on August 11, albeit with over 25 cuts and modifications. Besides playing the role of Lord Shiva in it, Akshay also co-produced 'OMG 2', and Amit Rai has now revealed that the script was originally rejected by filmmakers like Karan Johar and Ashutosh Gowariker.He said that it is only because of Akshay that the film was made and it got to see the light of the day.
In an interview with ETimes, Rai said that no one was ready to give him work after his 2009 film 'Road To Sangam', and that he was rendered jobless at home for almost 10 years. He went on to say that when he came up with the idea of 'OMG 2', he approached filmmakers like Karan Johar and Ashutosh Gowariker with the script but all of them rejected it. "Finally, Akshay Kumar showed the courage to back it. He was very open to the script and said that the film needs to be made. Because of him we’re still standing strong otherwise ‘OMG 2’ wouldn’t have got made," he said. Amit went on to say that if Akshay hadn’t been there for him and for OMG 2, the script would have been lying in a corner of his room and his kids would be playing with it. Earlier, CBFC member Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri spoke against the board’s decision of ordering as many as 27 cuts to the film. In an exclusive interview with india.com, The Kashmir Files director who is a member of the revising committee of the Censor Board, said it wasn’t justified for the board to change Akshay’s character from Lord Shiva to the messenger of the deity. He said, “No, it is not justified. I don’t agree with that. First of all, even though I am a part of CBFC but I am totally against it. CBFC shouldn’t be pressurised to do anything. Whatever is happening, it’s happening because of social and religious pressures. Everybody has understood that CBFC is a vulnerable body, you put pressure on it, and they will make these changes. I don’t understand why a film should get so many cuts – 27 cuts. Who are you to decide that?” As of now, Amit Rai continues to request the CBFC to change their certification from ‘A’ to ‘U/A’.