No more laughathon

The underwhelming response to the comedy Ghanchakkar has  prompted director Rajkumar Gupta (inset) to abandon plans to make Rapchik Romance right away. The comedy which was to feature Myra Karn who played Jessica in his previous film No One Killed Jessica is now on  the backburner. Says Gupta, “Rapchik Romance will happen after I complete my adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s Revolution 2020. And please don’t use the term ‘backburner’. It doesn’t sound too creative.”

The producers UTV had already acquired the filming rights of Bhagat films. They offered Gupta a chance to direct the film version. “UTV  gave me the book to read. When I read the book I was deeply moved. It’s a story about growing up and finding one’s bearings in life. Somewhere I connected with it. The entire milieu and the journey of these characters fascinated me. It’s a very simple touching story.”

Bhagat would not be a part of the adaptation. “Though I think Chetan did a very fine job of adapting Kai Po Che to the screen I will be adapting the novel on my own. I have just started writing the script. I don’t know how much of the novel will finally remain. The story and characters would acquire their own destiny as I write.” The film goes on the floors early next year.

Revolution 2020 is Gupta’s first literary adaptation. “And that’s the way I wanted it. I don’t want to do the same thing twice  over,” he concludes.