Akshay insisted on Diwali release for Action Replayy, film clashes with Golmaal 3

After Blue last year, you would think Akshay Kumar would stay away from Diwali releases. In fact that is what Vipul had presumed and was in fact planning an Eid or a post-Diwali release for Action Replayy starring Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. But a call from Akshay from London changed Vipul’s plans. Akshay who is a co-producer on Action Replayy asked Vipul to opt for a Diwali release, although a big franchise film Golmaal 3 was already scheduled. Says Vipul, "You’d be surprised to know in spite of Blue last Diwali, Akshay wants us to go ahead with Action Replayy this Diwali. Let’s not forget, Akshay’s Garam Masala had also released for Diwali and it was a big hit." Apparently, Akshay wants a Diwali release because he feels a fun frothy goofy film like Action Replayy has great festive value, and bad omen be damned. Says Vipul, "We’re hoping for both Golmaal 3 and Action Replay to do well. If only one film can succeed, may the best one win. And may we be the best." Vipul is also planning collaboration with Tamil super-director Gautham Menon who directed the original Tamil version of Kaakha Kaakha starring Suriya that Vipul is now remaking with John Abraham with Nishikant Kamat as director. Throughout the re-scripting of the original Tamil into Hindi, Vipul kept Gautham in the loop about the changes. "We’ve made drastic changes in the script from the original. Kaakha Kaakha is a seven-year old film.

The cop played by John will be completely different from Surya in the original. The police force and the law and order situation have changed. We’ve altered the screenplay completely. While buying the remake rights, we had stipulated that the changes would be made. So legally or ethically we did not need to keep Gautham in the loop." However, Vipul felt it was only decent to inform the original maker about the changes. During these telephonic conversations between Vipul Shah and Gautham Menon, Vipul realized that Gautham was just the kind of director who could bring a refreshing new idiom to the commercial Hindi cinema. Says Vipul, "I’m definitely going to work with Gautham."