Arjun to turn producer again

Arjun Rampal is all set to launch his second production by June 2011. For the moment though, the actor is all excited about Ra.One and its nine multi-crore body suits.

Arjun Rampal is all set to launch his second production by June 2011. For the moment though, the actor is all excited about Ra.One and its nine multi-crore body suits.

Arjun Rampal is all set to launch his second production. Five years after I See You, which he had co-produced with wife Mehr Jesia, the actor will be back with another film that he hopes to flag off by June 2011. “We’ve finally locked on the script,” he says.

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Rampal played lead opposite debutant Vipasha Agarwal in his first production. Will he act this time too? “That would depend on the director,” he shrugs.

Reportedly, Prakash Jha is directing the film for his banner, Chasing Ganesha. "Yes, I’ve signed on a director, but I’m not going to come up with a name just yet. Let it be a secret for a while," he says. "Prakashji has approached me with scripts after Rajneeti, and I will be doing two films with him.... Not Aarakshan though, that has Amitji (Amitabh Bachchan), Ajay (Devgn) and Manoj (Bajpayee)."

He’s also gearing up for the Housefull sequel that goes on the floors mid next year. “I enjoyed working with Sajid (director Sajid Khan) so much that I immediately agreed to doing the sequel. It’s light, entertaining and a hit with the kids. Watch out, Part 2 will be better than Part 1,” he promises.

For the moment though, Rampal is focussed on Shah Rukh Khan’s ambitious home production, Ra.One. Isn’t he playing a Joker-like character in this ‘desi’ superhero fantasy? “The Joker’s untouchable, so no comparisons please!” he exclaims. “We’re doing something original and the idea is to raise the bar. The rushes I’ve seen are amazing. I’m proud to be a part of a movie that we can take to the world and say, “See, India can make a film like this too.’”

One for the wardrobe
And it’s not just SRK who has been wearing those multi-crore body suits. Rampal has nine of them too and has worn all of them in the last two months, which explains his recent weight loss. “It was a challenge for both Shah Rukh and me. Thank God, we were shooting abroad, that made it easier,” he admits. “But now, when I see the results, they are a sweet memory. I think I’ll keep one as a reminder that I did a superhero film once! They are so beautifully designed.”