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, 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.

Also, after much speculation in the media whether it would see the light of day, work on Verma's remake of the cult film 'Sholay', will begin later this month.

"Shooting for the remake of 'Sholay' will commence later this month,"the filmmaker says.

With the movie's cast having been finalised; Ajay Devgan as Veeru (played in the original by Dharmendra), Mohit Ahlawat the quiet Jai (played by Amitabh Bachchan in the original), Katrina Kaif as the widow Radha (Jaya Bachchan essayed the role in the 70s classic), Mohanlal as Thakur (played by Sanjeev Kumar in the original) and Sushant Singh cast as Gabbar's henchman, Sambha; Ramgopal Verma plans to wrap up the film in two month's time.

"I plan to complete the shooting of the film by December. The film will be ready for release early next year," Verma said.

Though staying true to the original, which introduced the trend of action films in Hindi cinema with its 'never-before-seen' action sequences, the new 'Sholay' will be made keeping in view the changed times. So while, the story will be the same, the settings will be different from the original.

However, rather than a frame-to-frame copy of the Ramesh Sippy's 1975 blockbuster, Ramgopal Verma's 'Sholay' will be part of an effort by the filmmaker to revive the 'long-forgotten' genre of action films and the 'intense angry young man' that characterised the films in the 70s and the 80s.

"Sholay, as also 'Shiva' are attempts to revive the action genre of films that disappeared from the film scene in India in the 90s and the new millennium, their place being taken by 'sugary sweet' films and'chocolate' heroes," he said.

"It is my desire to present/reflect on celluloid the seething feeling of anger experienced by the common man in the face of the growing corruption and irregularities in the social system, the way heroes like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and, to some extent, Vinod Khanna did so effectively through their portrayals in the 70s and the 80s.

"With a completely updated script and today's technical advances, it is possible to effectively capture that element of anger present in all of us," Verma said.

Stating that he wanted to once again "Catch the spirit of one man taking on the odds when his principles and convictions are under threat", he said the issue of a rebel fighting corruption in society was still contemporary as the common man today faces as much corruption as his counterparts three decades ago.