‘Oh My God 2’ (2023) is back in the news as new controversies are swirling around. The row started when the player Paresh Rawal he said on the podcast that he took on the story of OMG 2 but was never properly named. This was quickly denied by the film’s co-producer Ashwin Varde and director Amit Rai. Ashwin went further, saying that Rawal tried to make a film similar to another title, claiming the IP rights as his, while trying to push the lead actor. Akshay Kumar out of the picture.
Paresh Rawal denies any issues with Akshay Kumar
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Paresh was quick to deny any suggestion of trouble with Akshay. “Arre bhaiya, Akshay and I are doing Bhagam Bhag 2 next, which is Ashwin’s film. Bhooth Bangla bhi ki abhi. Meri Akshay se really koi problem nahi hai. Why would I say that? Akshay tried to convince me to do OMG 2 and also, I told him that it is not appropriate to talk about sex in God’s movie. But they went ahead, the film was a success, I’m happy. Baat abhi bhi lekin vahi hai, Gods are not needed in those texts,” he said.
Paresh Rawal tells the story of the debt dispute with Amit Rai
Talking about how Ashwin and Amit reacted after his comments on the biography, Paresh said, “My friendship with Amit goes back a long time, he is an active writer, a research writer. I told him one day ‘ek idea hai, hum sex par kuchh bana sakte hain, ek chhota baccha hai, nakga karta hai’… vahaan huyi we have to have sex with a goat. Prakash Kothari, since it required scientific principles. I can’t say maine likha hai, screenwriters association ke paas aapka hi naam hai (Amit’s) But when you share ideas with each other, usme concept mera tha, I only ask for the credit, not the paisa. It only came out after many years of giving interviews, that I would have been happy if I had been given credit. I never said that Amit never wrote. “
Paresh Rawal responds to ‘OMG 2’ casting rumors
The actor questions why he would seek a script at this point in his acting career. In response to Ashwin’s claims that he made ‘OMG 2’ Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn not revealing their refusal because the IP belongs to Akshay, Paresh says, “Even though our name is known as a production, IP unki hai. If I really wanted to do OMG 2, I would have told Akshay. I didn’t tell him because when we met, people would have thought it was OMG 2, which it wasn’t. The producer insisted, but I said I didn’t want to pay the bill. “
Paresh Rawal refutes claims that he wanted higher fines
Paresh goes on to say that after he refused, word got out that he had been expelled from the spiritual community for demanding more money. “Agar mujhe paise se mohabbat thi toh kar daalta na? Also, I didn’t write the film, Amit wrote it. Lekin tidbit toh hamare aate hain na, har actor koi na koi ideas data hai. Chalo maine Amit ko 50 ideas diye, and he rejected 49. But the one he likes best… I don’t disagree with what Ashwin said. I have a lot of love and sympathy for Amit. Try to do this.”