Priyadarshan, who is busy finishing the Hindi version of Malayalam super hit Katha Parayumpol with Shahrukh, said that Kuselan, the Tamil version of Sreenivasan's story, cannot be dubbed into any other language since the contract clearly prohibits it.
"Sreenivasan gave the Tamil rights to the producers after consulting me. Since they were very keen to make it with Rajinikanth, we relented. But the contract clearly says that Kuselan cannot be dubbed into any other language. Likewise, my Hindi version cannot be dubbed in any other language," he told a news agency.
"We have clearly put all this in the contract to avoid the kind of overlapping that was attempted when I remade the Malayalam film Manichithrathazhu as Bhool Bhulaiyaa in Hindi, and Rajni's Tamil film Chandramukhi from the same source was also attempted to be released in a dubbed Hindi version. I'll avoid this kind of clash of interests at any cost," the director maintained.
However, sources confirmed that the dubbing for the Hindi version of Kuselan is progressing under the direction of P. Vasu in Kollywood. No comments have come yet from Rajinikanth or P. Vasu on Priyadarshan's controversial claim about the contract. Earlier, Shahrukh Khan called up Rajinikanth and requested him to postpone the release of Kuselan’s dubbed version in Hindi after Diwali, since his film Billo Barber releases on Diwali.
Asked whether a dubbed Hindi version of Kuselan would affect the film Billoo Barbar, Priyadarshan said that only the climax of Kuselan and Billoo Barber are the same. Otherwise, they are two different films. According to Priyadarshan, the original Malayalam film, written by Sreenivasan, is very different from both Kuselan and Billoo Barbar.
"See, like all Rajinikanth starrers, Kuselan has been made to spotlight Rajni as a larger-than-life icon. I believe he enters the film riding a winged horse. Though my film also stars a superstar (Shahrukh) as a superstar, I've nowhere tried to increase his role or heighten the impact of his presence. I'm not that kind of filmmaker," he added.
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