# OMG 2 producer Ashwin Varde hits back at Paresh Rawal's claim that he tried to keep Akshay Kumar away from the franchise

> OMG 2 producer Ashwin Varde has responded to Paresh Rawal's recent claims about the film, revealing that his biggest concern throughout was securing rights linked to Akshay Kumar's franchise.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Bollywood · **Published:** 2026-07-17 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/bollywood/akshay-kumar-ko-phrenchaiji-se-dura-rakhane-ki-koshisha-vale-aropa-para-paresh-rawal-ko-prodyusara-ashwin-varde-ka-karara-javaba-8405 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** OMG 2, Paresh Rawal, Ashwin Varde, Akshay Kumar, Amit Rai, Wakaoo Films, Bollywood controversy

Producer Ashwin Varde has directly addressed the recent claims Paresh Rawal made about OMG 2, and has called several parts of that account inaccurate. Varde traces the film's actual origin to an idea from writer-director Amit Rai, a story that eventually turned into OMG 2 as audiences know it today.

## How Pawan Malhotra Brought The Two Together
Varde explains that senior actor Pawan Malhotra was the one who first introduced him to Amit Rai. At that point, the two of them were actually in talks about a completely different film project. It was only during one of their meetings around that time that Amit Rai narrated a fresh story idea to Varde, and that particular narration is what eventually grew into OMG 2.

## Ajay Devgn And Salman Khan Were The First Choices
According to Paresh Rawal's own account, Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan were the actors originally considered for OMG 2, but neither of them went on to do the film. The script was subsequently reworked, yet even after those changes, both actors continued to stay away from the project. Varde says that as soon as he heard Amit Rai's story, he immediately noticed how closely its format mirrored the original OMG film. When he raised this observation, Amit Rai told him the resemblance was intentional, because Paresh Rawal himself had wanted the new story to stay as close as possible to the plot of the first film.

## The Real Worry, Varde Says, Was Over Who Held The Rights
Varde has now clarified that throughout this process, his single biggest concern was the question of rights. He believed the rights to the OMG franchise belonged to Akshay Kumar, and felt that making a film so similar to it without Akshay's consent simply would not be right. Varde claims that when Amit Rai put this exact concern to Paresh Rawal, Rawal assured him that the rights rested with him and that there was no need to worry at all. Rawal reportedly went further, telling Amit Rai that even if a hundred instalments of OMG were eventually made, he alone would write and direct every single one of them. At that stage, the story did not yet feature a divine character; instead, it revolved around a fakir.

## The Allegation Of Repackaging Someone Else's Idea
Varde alleges that what Paresh Rawal actually wanted was to make a film very similar to OMG, just released under a different title. In Varde's view, that amounted to taking someone else's original work and using it under a new name, something he considers both unethical and unprofessional. Rawal, for his part, had said in his interview that a number of major actors turned down this particular script. Varde's response is that Rawal never revealed the actual reason those actors said no. Varde maintains that every one of them gave the same explanation, that the story was essentially an OMG film in disguise, that it belonged to Akshay Kumar's franchise, and that taking it on without Akshay's approval would not have been appropriate.

## Wakaoo Films Bought The Script, Which Is Still Registered To Amit Rai
Varde went on to reveal that his production company, Wakaoo Films, eventually bought the script outright. He was equally clear that the script continues to be registered under writer Amit Rai's name even today, which is why, in his view, Paresh Rawal has no real claim to credit for either the story or the script. Because the film so closely resembled Akshay Kumar's OMG, Varde says Akshay's involvement in the franchise was seen as essential, yet Paresh Rawal ultimately chose not to work on the film precisely because of Akshay Kumar's presence. Varde's claim is that Rawal wanted to keep Akshay Kumar out of the project right from the very beginning.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who wrote the story of OMG 2?
Writer-director Amit Rai wrote the story, which reached producer Ashwin Varde through senior actor Pawan Malhotra.

### 2. Which actors were considered first for OMG 2?
According to Paresh Rawal, Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan were originally lined up to star, but neither ended up doing the film.

### 3. What was Ashwin Varde's biggest concern?
He was most worried about the film's rights, since he believed the OMG franchise rights belonged to Akshay Kumar.

### 4. What did Paresh Rawal reportedly say about the rights?
Per Varde's claim, Rawal said the rights were with him and that he was ready to write and direct even a hundred instalments of OMG.

### 5. Who is the script registered to today?
According to Varde, the script is still registered under writer Amit Rai's name.

### 6. Why did Paresh Rawal not work on the film, according to Varde?
Varde claims Rawal stayed away from the film because of Akshay Kumar, as he wanted to keep Akshay Kumar out of the project.

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