/> Himesh Reshammiya as tense as can be just days before his Big Day drops a bombshell "I won't be attending the Karzzz premiere in Abu Dhabi on the 16th."

But isn't that like a concert without its conductor?

"I know. But I can't help it. I'd love to be there. Why wouldn't I want to go? But my family pooja is on the same day. I can't skip the pooja for anything in the world. No worries. Satishji, Urmilaji, and my leading lady Shweta Kumar along with my producer Bhooshan Kumar will be in Abu Dhabi."

Though Himesh makes light of his absence from the premiere of his crucial second feature film, there are rumours that Himesh is staying away from the Abu Dhabi premiere because of some life threats.

Brushing off this rumour Himesh says efforts are on to get the original Karz star Rishi Kapoor at the premiere.

Says Himesh, "We'd love to have him. He was kind enough to do the film's mahurat shot. And he liked our music. I'm very curious to know his reaction to our Karz. However I'm glad we won't be photographed together.. If that happens then no one will even look at me. I don't have the guts to share screen space with him."

Even Om Shanti Om which was an indirect homage to Subhash Ghai's Karz had a guest appearance by Rishi Kapoor.

Says Himesh, "Om Shanti Om has the hero being reborn with the same face. In Karz the reincarnated hero is born with a different face. The only similarity between the two films is reincarnation."

Himesh seems to think Karz is going to take him to a different level. "In my debut film Aap Ka Suroor I was playing myself. Now I'm playing a character totally alien to me. If I am an actor I better act well. My director Satish Kaushik is fortunately an actor. So he worked very hard on me. I think I've improved."

Apparently Himesh has told Rishi he won't imitate him in any way. "How can I? I'd look so stupid. I'm just a dhokla boy, Rishiji is a rock star.

The expectations are skyhigh. Whether it's Subhash Ghai, Simi Garewal, Rishi Kapoor or Tina Munim from the original Karz In fact the original music composer Pyarelal called me over after he heard my songs in the new Karz.... Sab ki izzat rakhna hoga.

I think I've fulfilled the expectations in the music department. Now I've to prove myself as an actor. I've to live up to expectations even by Rishi Kapoor's standards."

Himesh is proud of the music he has composed. "All the songs except Ek hasina thi are original. In fact the original Karz didn't have a title song. We did.There was no way I could make a new tune for the Ek haseena thi situation.

We bought the copyrights and re-did it. It was a challenge for me to do a song that Kishore Kumar has sung. But otherwise we've made many changes in this version of Karz. Everyone has worked very hard."

Himesh recently did some intricate action sequences for Karz. "It was risky. And I may not do it again. In the original Rishi Kapoor comes to Ooty in a motorboat. We changed it to a chopper.

And since it wouldn't have looked convincing for me to be sitting inside the chopper, I stood out of the door half perched in space. Then again during the climax an aircraft flies just ten feet above my head. Fortunately the pilot was competent."

After Karz Himesh has other releases lined up. "I'll have five releases in fifteen months with a gap of 4-5 months between films."

Unfulfilled ambitions? "To do a film where I don't have songs. But since my image is linked to music and since big bucks are riding on my musical output that seems a little difficult. The modalities don't allow it."

Karz released on 17 October. "It's a very good week. Reliance is distributing the film. They and my producers T Series have huge release plans.

Now all I have to do is to deliver a performance. I feel Satish Kaushik has not tampered with the soul of the original Karz. I know I'll be compared with Rishi Kapoor no matter how far removed I am from the original."