Subhash Ghai and Rishi Kapoor in Om Shanti Om

Farah Khan is busy shooting Om Shanti Om, her second directorial venture after Main Hoon Na starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in principal roles. Recently Shreyas Talpade and Malaika Arora were added to the cast. And the cast of film is just growing bigger by the day.

Since the time the film was announced, there was a buzz that it is a remake of Subhash Ghai’s Karz which starred Rishi Kapoor in lead role. The rumours originated from the fact that the title of the film ‘Om Shanti Om’ was a chartbuster song picturized on Rishi Kapoor in Subhash Ghai’s Karz. Also both the films are based on the theme of reincarnation. However Farah completely denies the rumours saying, “I am tired of shouting over the rooftops that my film Om Shanti Om is not a remake of Karz. Unless and until I am exhausted mentally and intellectually I will not remake a film. I have stories to tell and I want to do just that.”

And now she has got both Rishi Kapoor and Subhash Ghai to feature in her film in cameos. The two have also agreed to do the film. A well placed source also confirms that Rishi Kapoor and Subhash Ghai will be playing themselves in the film. “Om Shanti Om is basically set around the Hindi film industry. So you will see many film personalities making a special appearance in the film playing themselves.”

Farah adds, “The first half of Om Shanti Om is set in the 1970’s so we have decided to recreate that era through a song”. If word is to be believed then the song will possibly be sung by Sadhana Sargam and Abhijeet. And since the film is based on the theme of reincarnation, the second half will show the current Bollywood scenario.

The source also gives a gist of SRK’s character in the film saying, “Om Shanti Om starts showing Shah Rukh Khan as a junior artist of the late 70’s. His name is Om. Years later he is reborn and is named Om again”. This is the second time when Shah Rukh will be featuring in a reincarnation theme film after the blockbuster hit Karan Arjun. And just to set the record straight, ‘Om Shanti Om’ has no resemblance to that movie either.

Farah confirms that since Om Shanti Om revolves around Bollywood, the film will have cameos by many known names in the industry. And since it shows the Bollywood scene in the 70s as well as today, you might just come across celebrities from both eras making an appearance in the film. In fact, Farah also adds that her husband and filmmaker Shirish Kunder will also be seen in the title credits of the film.