There is something about a Khan release that never fails to excite Ram Gopal Verma.
Let's go back exactly an year ago when Aamir Khan's 'Mangal Pandey - The Rising' was slated for an August 12 release. While the world was looking forward to this Ketan Mehta historical, Ram Gopal Verma had some other plans as he decided to unleash his 'biggest every star find' Mohit Ahlawat. Though the film was in news for around a couple of years, he chose August 12 as the day when Mohit's debut vehicle 'James' was being readied for an arrival!
The film made instant news, more so when his film's promos came with a promotional campaign centered out 'The Rising Of A New Superstar'. Now this was clearly taking on the elusive Khan. Though it's a different matter that the film eventually was first pushed a week after August 12 and eventually released only on September 16 but the fact remains that the battle lines were clearly drawn.
Now exactly the same feat is being repeated by RGV this August when Shahrukh Khan's 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna' comes on August 11. Though the release date had been finalized weeks back, its only now that the film maker has decided to release Mohit Ahlawat's second film as a lead actor - 'Shiva'. Ironically the film was always being touted as a remake of 'James' [though everyone associated with the film is now denying that]. Also it comes exactly a year after 'James' though RGV is at the helm of direction this time around.
The film now sees a hurried release on August 18, a week after KANK and seems like yet another invitation of a challenge by RGV to King Khan. A point to be noticed is that there are rumors about fallout out between the film maker and the actor after shelving of 'Time Machine', the first film that the two were supposed together.
Another theory making the rounds is this challenge may have to do more with the battle between Yarh Raj Films and RGV's 'Factory' than the RGV-Khan battle. How? Since both 'Mangal Pandey - The Rising' and 'KANK' have the same distributors - Yash Raj Films!