/> Prashant Raj who plays the role that Amitabh Bachchan did in Sholay had a tough time getting used to the idea of having THE Sushmita Sen as his co-star in Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay.

"But that was only until she came on the set, and we met. In two minutes she had me completely relaxed. Till the end of the shooting not for a minute did I feel I was shooting with someone with such an aura around her.

But yes, initially I was more intimidated by Sushmita than Mr Bachchan and all the other seasoned troupers I worked with."

Now that Sholay is over, Raj feels blessed. "Imagine, I got to play Mr Bachchan's role from Sholay. But nowhere have I tried to impersonate his Jai. Me and Ajay Devgan have played Jai and Veeru in our own way. You won't find any traces of the earlier actors in our performances."

The young actor is incensed by the comparisons that have already started. "The news channels are putting my picture next to Mr Bachchans from the two Sholays. I find that very unfair. He's like this God way way above.

To even mention my name in the same breath is ridiculous. But I guess such comparisons are bound to happen. And each one of us will be compared with all those unforgettable performers in Mr Ramesh Sippy's Sholay."

Raj has no choice but to lie back and enjoy it. "Fortunately I'm not sitting at home waiting for Sholay to release in July. I'd have gone crazy sitting quietly waiting for things to happen.

I'm already almost done with my second film Toss directed by Ramesh Katkar where I've Arati Chabria for a co-star. I play this ordinary guy called Samay caught in an extraordinary situation. A far cry from Sholay."

Er.....from Sushmita to Arati Chabria?.....

Raj is pragmatic about the climb-downs that await him. "I know I couldn't have started any higher than Sholay. But should I have not done it just because it was such a dizzying place to start? Every director won't be Ram Gopal Varma and every co-star won't be Sushmita. And every film can never be Sholay."