(Repeating yesterday's DI18)

New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) A series of box office failures over the last few years have led to a fall in stock of this immensely talented filmmaker, with those in film and critics circles criticising him of being repetitive in terms of the storylines of his films.

Notwithstanding criticism and the box office failure of his recent films like 'Naach', 'Darna Zaroori Hai', James' and 'Darwaza Band Rakho', filmmaker Ramgopal Verma is ready with another set of cinematic offerings reflecting his versatility as a filmmaker.

While he has just released an action film 'Shiva', touted as a remake of his 90s film by the same name ready for release shortly is an 'unconventional love story' 'Nishabd' while shooting of another love story 'Darling' is in an advanced stage. Also, the filmmaker is all set to begin shooting next month on the remake of the 70s classic hit 'Sholay'.

Dismissing all talk in media and film critics circles of his getting a tad 'repetitive', Ramgopal Verma, in an interview to UNI, said, ''to all these critics, I would like to point out that I am the only filmmaker in the country who has tried his hand at a wide variety of genres; from comedies like 'Daud', 'Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega' and 'Darwaza band Rakho', love stories like 'Rangeela' and 'Pyar Tune Kya Kiya', actioners like 'Road', 'Company' and 'D', emotional dramas like 'Sarkar', fantasies like 'Naach', 'Mast' and 'Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon' to horror films like 'Bhoot', and 'Kaun'.

''The only kind of films I have not made is the sugary sweet and chirpy kind of films being dished by many filmmakers today. This is because I just do not have the affinity to make such kind of films,'' he said.

Infact, bubbly and chirpy is a word which one cannot attribute to Ramgopal Verma be it his latest directorial venture 'Shiva', a flick on the line of action films of the 70s or the forthcoming 'Nishabd', a film which deals with a 60-year-old man's attraction towards a teenaged girl.

Of the two, however, 'Nishabd' traverses a territory which Ramgopal Verma has been visited before in films like 'Kaun', 'Pyar Tune Kya Kiya' and 'My Wife's Murder', all of which delved into the human psyche.

''As a filmmaker, I love making films which delve into the human psyche,'' Verma said. Talking about 'Nishabd', he said, ''Nishabd' is a reflection of the state of mind of a 60-year-old man caught between his attraction towards a teenaged girl and his conscience and sense of responsibility which ultimately witnesses his feelings getting the better of his sense of responsibility.'' The film has Amitabh Bachchan playing the role of the 60-year-old protagonist.

''It is a complex role and I could not think of anyone other than Amitabh Bachchan to effectively portray it. Infact, he is simply brilliant in the film,'' Verma said.

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