There’s a new and absolutely irreversible mutual admiration club brewing between director Ram Gopal Varma and actress Sushmita Sen on the sets of Sholay. So taken up is the prolific director with Sushmita’s performance as the widow Devi (played by Jaya Bachchan in the original Sholay), that he intends to cast her again as soon as he finds the right role for her.


“The problem is she can’t be cast in any ordinary role. I always knew Sushmita was a superb actress. She has immense intelligence and she understands the medium fully. Now while directing her I feel she has brought to the widow’s role the kind of quiet wisdom and sensitivity which I’ve never seen before,” Varma said.

“Sushmita’s scenes with her screen brother-in-law Mohanlal are among the highlights of Sholay. So far, she has mostly played talkative characters. But Sholay proves that silences are Sushmita’s forte,” added Varma. Sushmita is equally enthused by Varma’s work-modalities. She said, “It’s a dream-come-true for me. I just love that man’s creative energy. Varma is one director I’ve waited to work with. I’ve pestered him repeatedly to work together.”