The controversy surrounding ‘OMG 2’ has taken a dramatic turn after the producer Ashwin Varde he answered Paresh Rawalthe latest complaints. Days later, the veteran actor claimed that the idea behind the Akshay KumarVarde has issued a detailed statement, rejecting the allegations and claiming that Rawal tried to make a version of the film without Akshay Kumar’s participation.
The producer rejects Paresh Rawal’s allegations
In an interview with Pinkvilla, Ashwin Varde called Paresh Rawal’s claims “shocking” and “baseless”, saying he felt compelled to present his side of the story. “The allegations made by Paresh Rawal in a recent podcast regarding ‘OMG 2’ are shocking, false and baseless. These allegations leave me with no option but to come clean publicly. I would like to share my version of the ‘OMG 2’ journey as it actually happened,” Varde said.
How the script came to Ashwin Varde
The producer revealed that it was actor Pavan Malhotra who introduced him to the writer-director Amit Rai. Although they initially met to discuss another project, Amit later narrated a story that immediately reminded Varde of ‘OMG’. According to Varde, Amit revealed that Paresh Rawal had encouraged him to write the script with a narrative style similar to ‘OMG’.“When I first heard it, my immediate reaction was that this track was totally similar to the format of ‘OMG’. Then Amit told me that he had written it in the format of ‘OMG’ because Paresh Rawal had asked him to stay as close as possible to ‘OMG’ in terms of narrative,” he recalled.Ashwin claimed that Amit Rai had initially expressed concern over the intellectual property rights associated with ‘OMG’, but Paresh Rawal allegedly assured him that there was nothing to worry about. The producer also alleged that the actor wanted to move forward without involving Akshay Kumar, despite the franchise being closely associated with him.“That’s when it became clear to me what Paresh was trying to do. He was trying to make a version of ‘OMG’ under a different name, which is unethical and unprofessional. He was trying to steal someone else’s creation and property and use it under a guise. To me, that’s nothing but theft,” Varde said.
Why other actors are said to have rejected the film
Referring to Paresh Rawal’s statement that several actors had rejected the project, Varde claimed that there was a reason behind these rejections.“Paresh says in his podcast that he approached several actors with this script and they all turned him down. He forgets to mention why they all turned it down. They did it because they all told him, this is ‘OMG’ and this is Akshay Kumar’s film. Why should we step on something that belongs to him? Or go for his approval, they all said.Ashwin added that his production house eventually acquired Amit Rai’s script, which remains officially registered in the filmmaker’s name.
Varde says Paresh Rawal to play a role
Despite the disagreements, Varde said that Paresh Rawal remained the first choice for an important role in ‘OMG 2’. He revealed that multiple meetings were held with the actor, including discussions at Willingdon Club, Mangii Ferra and Soho House in Mumbai. According to Varde, he informed Rawal that the script would be shown to Akshay Kumar first because it was very similar to ‘OMG’.“I told him that he should take this script to Akshay Kumar first as it is too much like ‘OMG’ and it would be unethical of me not to. I was surprised to see his reaction. He repeated that this film cannot be ‘OMG’ without giving any plausible reason,” he said.Varde alleged that eventually it became clear that Rawal did not want Akshay Kumar to be associated with the project.The producer also rejected Paresh Rawal’s claim that he deserved the story credit. According to Varde, Amit Rai remains the sole writer of ‘OMG 2’, and Rawal’s involvement was limited to acting. He further claimed that the actor was offered the film, a deal was exchanged and he was also compensated as per the contract.“Throughout this journey, I reiterate that Paresh’s involvement with the film was solely in the capacity of an actor and nothing else,” Varde said.
Ashwin Varde’s final answer
Concluding his statement, the producer insisted that no one had tried to deprive Paresh Rawal of credit or recognition. “I would like to reiterate that no one tried to cheat Paresh Rawal in anything. The only thing we are guilty of is preventing him from doing the same,” Varde said.