Mushtaq Shiekh, the screenplay writer of OSO and author of the book, The Making of Om Shanti Om, agreed to act in the film only if he
was given screen space with SRK
BESIDES penning the coffee-table book The Making Of Om Shanti Om, Mushtaq Shiekh is also the filmâs screenplay writer and has also
acted in Farah Khanâs movie.
âI agreed to do the role only if I shared screen space with Shah Rukh and could threaten him.
I had earlier done an appearance in Farahâs Main Hoon Na in which I also warned him. I can only threaten SRK for my career as an actor!â
laughs Mushtaq.
End credits
In OSO, Mushtaq features in a scene in which he is sleeping on the road and wakes up to give SRKâs character of a junior actor, a piece of
his mind.
Apparently, when the credits rolled, Farah wanted the tagline with Mushtaqâs name to read as roadside beggar. But being the writer, he
changed it to roadside sleeper.
âHaving done the screenplay of the film, I had that much clout to have my character credit altered. I am shown sleeping on the street so I am
the roadside sleeper!â guffaws Mushtaq.
Close to heart
Mushtaq has earlier penned The Making of Asoka Santosh Sivanâs film starring SRK and Kareena Kapoor as well as Still Reading Khan, a
biography of the actor. But he considers The Making of Om Shanti Om extremely dear to him.
âIn the earlier two books I was the third eye but this project for me is a journey from paper to celluloid. I was there with Farah when we began
drafting the script and creating the characters. So I have been with the film from Day One.
Beyond the camera
The Making of Om Shanti Om is slated to hit bookstores along with the filmâs release. Published by Om Books International, the 172 pages
book is priced at Rs 495.
âThe book provides a complete behind-the-scenes guide . We had a German photographer throughout the shoot who has taken several
candid shots of the cast and crew.
I was continuously at the shoot capturing the nuances of the shoot. There is 50 per cent text and 50 per cent pictures, all exclusive. Besides
details about the filming and trivia, it also takes a look at junior artistes of the â70s and where they are now as the filmâs main character is a
junior artist.â
Mushtaq adds that the book is a complete guide to the film. âIt makes more sense to read the book after watching Om Shanti Om â you will
understand exactly why it was so in the film.â
Trivia about the making of Om Shanti Om
Farah Khan made anyone who was on the sets act in the film. The entire crew has a walk-on part. The joke was that anyone who entered the
sets was bound to be in one of the frames.
During the shoot of the title song at Film City with 31 stars, the actor who the unit hands mobbed and wanted to be photographed with was
Mithun Chakraborty â Mithunda rocked.
When SRK saw the sets where the title track was to be shot at Film City, he felt art director Saboo Cyril had made a very small set to fit in all
the stars.
Farah had to explain to SRK that in the song, everyone would be looking out for the stars, and not at the sets.
Salman Khan and Saif Ali Khan waited for three hours to be in the same frame as Dharmendra â they were really excited to share screen
space with him.
Rekha was the only actor who insisted on rehearsals before the title song shoot.
SRKâs character of Om Kapoor has Pakistani actor Jawed Shaikh play the role of his father who is called Rajesh Kapoor, a â70s hero.
Rajesh Kapoor has been modelled on Rajesh Khanna. Jawed is also seen getting jiggy alongside Shabana Azmi in the Om Shanti Om track.
Farah appears in the first shot of the film while producer Gauri Khan is in the last shot.
The yesteryear cars used in the film originally belonged to Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini.
Shah Rukhâs school buddies, Vishal and Raman, feature in the film.
Courtesy: IndiaFM.com