Mumbai: Director Ram Gopal Varma has dismissed rumours that Ajay Devgan, who plays Veeru and Mohit Ahlawat Jai, asked him to change the script of the remake of Sholay.

Denying the rumours, Varma told IANS: "Ajay did not ask me to make changes in the script. We've worked together before in Company and Bhoot and there's no problem at all."

Speaking about the projects delay, he said: "It may seem like a delay because we started shooting in September. But it was meant to be shot in September."

Varma is quite optimistic about Sholay. "Except for Mr. Bachchan as Gabbar there's no other casting in Sholay that can determine or destroy its prospects. I don't know why people seem so hell-bent to see the project go down. I'm sorry to disappoint the doomsday prophets.

"I'm wrapping it up by year-end to start Sarkar 2 with Amit ji and Abhishek and then another project with Amit ji early next year."

Although shooting for Sholay has begun, Varma is still searching for Basanti. Katrina Kaif has been cast to play the role of the widow, Radha.

"Why is everyone so keen to know who'll play Basanti? Let me confess the character won't be the same Basanti as Hema ji in the original Sholay.

"This is a different Sholay that will reflect a new sensibility and acontemporary reality. We can't have Gabbar Singh on a horse and a Basanti on a tonga any more. My Sholay transposes the milieu and the characters to a more contemporary setting."

In fact, many of the original characters may not even have the same names.

The director is baffled by reports ciculating that Karisma Kapoor may make a comeback via Varma's Sholay.

"I've no idea where that came from. Very honestly, I haven't thought of Karisma in any film for the last five years. I don't know from where her name cropped up."

RVG has shot 40 percent of his new film Darling which stars Fardeen Khan, Bipasha Basu and Esha Deol in the main leads.

"It's not a love story. It's a romantic-thriller-comedy. It's very difficult, almost impossible to define its genre. It’s unique in its content and treatment. I've shot with Fardeen before. But never with Bipasha and Esha."

"I was tied up with solving my production problems. There was no control on the creative or financial level. I lost control over my projects. That's why I had stopped the release of all my films.

"Now my house is in order. I'm again ready to start releasing my films. Ram Gopal Varma production has four releases till September end. Shiva is complete. Darling is on the floors. I'll do a bit of shooting and then start again full force in November."

Shiva, starring Mohit in the title role, is releasing Friday.

Varma recently directed Nishabd starring Amitabh. "I don't want to sound boastful but I feel Amit ji has given his career's best performance in Nishabd. While watching the film I feel he has completely surpassed everyone's expectations, including mine."