Audience poll decides film title

Vishal Bharadwaj's Othello-inspired film has finally got a name - Omkara.

After a lot of heartburn, confusion and passionate debate, the title of Vishal Bharadwaj's film, based on Shakespeare's Othello, has been decided by a poll. Omkara it is.

HT Image

When the cast and crew failed to choose an apt title out of three options - Omkara, Issak and O Saathi Re - it was decided that it should be finalised by an audience poll.

Kumar Mangat, the producer of the film, tied up with newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the Net and asked readers and listeners to send their opinion. More than 80 percent voted for Omkara.

"We received 2.5 million votes from all over the world and 80 percent of the people voted for 'Omkara'. 'Omkara' is larger than life and we always wanted to have a title beginning with 'O'," said Mangat.

Ajay Devgan, who plays the title role in the film, is not so happy. He said: "I wanted Issak. People were a bit confused and that is why we had an audience poll. Now there's no confusion."

Ajay Devgan will assay the role of Omi in Omkara, which is based on Shakespeare's play Othello

However, Saif Ali Khan is thrilled with the result and said: "I am very happy, as I was always partial to the title Omkara."

Bipasha Basu, one of the female leads in the film, gave a diplomatic response.

"Omkara is the director's vision and when the director is happy, everyone is happy. Keeping the essence of Othello intact, Omkara is an entertainer with commercial actors, treated realistically in a completely different set-up and with beautiful cinematography," she said.