Subhash K Jha

To further appease local Andhra sentiments the leading man of Rakht Charitra Vivek Oberoi will visit the real-life story's actual location Anantapur this week.

Says Ramu, "Vivek will finally visit Anantapur, meet the local politicians and also relatives of Paritala Ravi (the character Oberoi plays in Rakht Charitra) and visit Paritala Ravi's grave."

Varma won't be accompanying Vivek.

"I don't want to end up in the grave next to Paritaka Ravi.Is Vivek's visit dangerous?We'll soon know, " Varma jokes.

Incidentally Varma thinks the strong visual and verbal violence of Rakht Charitra is a sign of the censorboard's growing maturation.

At one point in the brutal narration the film's main villain Bukka Reddy who abducts and brutally rapes and kills his victims tells one of his victims, "Yes, I raped your sister. I'll rape your grandmother as well. Do what you can."

Apparently the 'grandmother' bit was the brainchild of the actor Abhimanyu Singh who plays Bukka. In the rough-and-tough neighbourhood of Bihar where Singh grew up such innovative abuses were prevalent.

Singh suggested they add the line to Bukka's endless litany of atrocities.Varma happily complied. Says Abhimanyu, "Ramuji wanted me to portray Bukka as a sex addict. I went the whole hog."

He fought the censorboard to get the ultra-violent content of Rakht Charitra passed by the check-post. But a day after the film's release Varma had to give in to pressure in Andhra Pradesh and cut out two sequences showing the N. T Rama Rao-inspired politician played by Shatrughan Sinha colluding with criminals.

This overnight deletion followed widespread protests in Andhra Pradesh against their late beloved leader being depicted as a neta harbouring criminal connections.

Speaking from Hyderabad Varma admits that scenes had to be chopped off a day after the release of Rakhta Charitra to appease local sentiments.

Says the director, "We had to cut two scenes with Shatraji. One where he was shown hastily leaving a venue after a bomb blast. His followers feel this sequence made him look like a coward. The other sequence that we cut had the politician openly discussing the murder of the political goon Bukka Reddy (Abhimanyu Singh)."