No film on Chinkara case: Salman

By VICKEY LALWANI/TNN

A powerful star like Salman Khan is not someone the industry likes to trifle with. A producer, who wanted to chronicle the dark side of the star’s life in his film, found this out the hard way. 

A month ago, producer Ranjit Sharma announced a film Qaidi No 210, which would show Salman’s days in jail for the chinkara hunting case. Chirag Patil, the son of cricketer Sandeep Patil, was to play Salman. 

Of course, when Salman heard about this, naturally he made discreet enquiries about the film. And not surprisingly, the film has run into trouble and is unlikely to ever be made because the star enjoys the industry’s goodwill. 

The lead actor Chirag and director Vicky Ranaut have walked out of the film. We also hear that Ranjit Sharma is untraceable. A source says, “He is in Jodhpur but his phone has been switched off.” 

Chirag admits, “I don’t think that I’ll do this film. Sharma has been out of touch. The director Vicky Ranaut also didn’t convey any concrete plans about the project. I am only starting my career. I don’t want to start off by hurting anybody or doing anything stupid. I am happy with my two films Dev Anand’s Charge Sheet and Smita Thackeray’s Raada Rocks.” 

Chirag also confessed that his father had told him to be careful before going ahead with this film. He says, “He did caution me. We’re close friends with Salman’s family.” 

Director Ranaut also says that the main reason he left was that the film was portraying an uncomfortable slice of Salman’s life. “You know, Sharma was not even telling me the story. When I consented to do the film, he didn’t even tell me that he had Salman’s story in mind. Finally, I told him that I am not interested.” 

The producer decided to go ahead with another director. Ranaut adds, “I think he has approached another director, Satyajit (child artiste in Shakti Samanta’s Anuraag , Punit Issar’s brotherin-law). And then I think that Salman asked Satyajit, ‘Who is this Ranjit Sharma who is gaining mileage using my name?’” 

The latest is that Satyajit too is not doing the film. He was extremely frank and forthcoming, “I am certainly not doing Ranjit Sharma’s film on Salman Khan. Sharma is a fraud. I don’t trust him.” 

When asked if Salman had asked him to not go ahead, Satyajit did not deny that the star had contacted him before he quit the film. “Salman sent me a text saying that I should meet him before taking a decision. Apparently, he didn’t like the idea of me doing this film. I quit soon thereafter. So, we didn’t reach a stage where my meeting with the star happened.” 

Salman can breathe easy as the industry isn’t too keen to rake up his past.