"I had to do this to preserve my self-respect.Sherlyn who called me Appa suddenly became hostile. She withdrew all support to our film and abused me in the filthiest language. I had to take legal action to protect my film and my reputation," says Rupesh.
On Wednesday pinup girl Sherlyn Chopra not only announced her decision to dissociate herself from her much-vaunted film Kamasutra 3D she also tweeted highly abusive statements about her director Rupesh Paul calling him a 'gaandu' and a 'haraami'. Rupesh Paul was still reeling under the impact of the unexpected unslaught.
Says Rupesh, `First I suffered a multiple injury,three fractures in my left arm requiring surgery, in a motorcycle accident and now I am subjected to worse injury.While I know a vehicle rammed into my motorcycle causing my hand injury I've no clue what brought on the attack from Sherlyn.`
Rupesh says they shared a father-daughter relationship. `She called me Appa, which means 'father' in Tamil and Telugu. Now on twitter she has been calling me a 'haraami' and a 'gaandu'. Being a South Indian I didn't know what these words meant.I had to ask my assistant.`
Rupesh says she was fine until Tuesday evening. `Then after the latest trailer came out she suddenly turned against me and the film. The fact that there is less of her in the new trailer could be the provocation. The new trailer is not about Sherlyn Chopra. Because my film is not about her. She is one of the characters in the film. She isn't the film.`
The filmmaker says so far he had marketed the film to enhance Sherilyn's image. `So far we highlighted her in the promos to keep her happy. Sherlyn is a very gullible girl. She gets easily instigated.I don't understand what she means by saying she's quitting my film. She has already completed all her scenes. And there's no way she can ask for those scenes to be deleted. I've a water-tight contact with her.At the most she will avoid promotional activities for our film.`
Rupesh says Sherilyn is now devoting time to a singing career. `She has cut a single titled 'Bad Girl'. My movie was her best bet for recognition.And she took maximum advantage of it.We took her to Los Angeles in November. In the 7-star hotel where she stayed Punjabi and Gujarati producers queued up to meet her.And all because of Kamasutra 3D.`
Apparently Sherlyn is miffed because Rupesh Paul changed the script of the film.
Argues Rupesh, `Yes , we did make some changes. We made some changes that we mutually agreed to. We changed her character from a princess to Kama Devi . We took her to Goa and LA with those changes.She seemed fine .In fact her role is now more prominent.She got pissed off because there were other prominent characters in the film. There are 19 other girls in Kamasutra. How can I take Sherlyn Chopra's permission to cast for the other characters?`
After the abusive tweets Rupesh has taken legal action against the actress. `Sherlyn's strategy to get attention is cheap. I always advised her to not resort to cheap publicity gimmicks.She has a good physique and she is a talented actress.I always thought we'd do a makeover of her image in Kamasutra.In the first poster we presented her like a Goddess lighting a deeya.She called me her father.I treated her with respect and affection. When I met her she had just been expelled from the Playboy cover for tweeting pictures prematurely. I was also struggling in Mumbai. We decided to help one another.Kamasutra gave her a new lease of life.Otherwise she would have been wiped out after the Playboy fiasco.`
Rupesh Paul is now proceeding cautiously. `To my relief she hasn't made any fake allegations against me. Being a woman she could've said anything. But I've scores of videos of her falling at my feet and calling me 'Appa'.I've got the videos ready in case she decides to create more trouble.`
Now Rupesh plans a Cannes premiere for Kamasutra 3D on May 23.
`She must understand I wasn't making a documentary on Sherlyn Chopra. Kamasutra 3D is not about her,` ends Rupesh Paul. Sherlyn Chopra remained unavailable for comment.