Don’t want to see Sanju’s face for the rest of my life-RGV

Department’s failure leads to war of words between Dharam Oberoi and Sanjay Dutt versus RGV

Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 22, 2012)

Ram Gopal Varma’s Department, which crashed at the box office, has thrown into sharp focus the fissures that ran deep within the team. The gloves are off, and the stakeholders are indulging in a slug fest with Sanjay Dutt going to the extent of saying he doesn’t want to ever join hands with RGV again. Speaking to Mirror on Monday evening, Dutt said, “Hits and flops are a part of the industry. But I really don’t know if I shall work with Ramu again.” Dharam Oberoi, CEO of Sanjay Dutt Productions, too said, “I am sure that I don’t want to work with Ramu on any other project in my life. We told Ramu so often those 5D cameras, which he used, are not apt to make a film but to no avail. Ramu just does not listen.”

Dutt seconded Oberoi saying, “I have been in the industry for 32 years and I know which cameras are suitable and which are not. But ab kya karen? Jo ho gaya so ho gaya. But yes, I really don’t know at this point of time if I want to work with Ramu again.”

RGV’s reaction to the outrage was predictable: “I don’t know what they are thinking and neither do I care… but from my side, I don’t want to see the faces of Sanjay Dutt and Dharam Oberoi for the rest of my life.”

Department has been panned by critics and audiences alike, despite the stellar cast comprising Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Rana Dagubatti. A trade expert on request of anonymity told Mirror, “The film has incurred severe losses from the time it released.”

There were reports that Dutt and Varma were at loggerheads throughout the making of the film however at that point in time, Dutt chose to remain silent. Even Oberoi had denied there were any problems. He had said: “Department is going to mark Ramu’s comeback to hard hitting films.”

But now, after the debacle, Oberoi is of a very different opinion. He said: “Department would have been worse had it not been for a few scenes that were reshot at Dutt’s insistence.”

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