Mani seeks Big B’s help for Guru?

Mani Rathnam’s much awaited magnum opus Guru has been making news since the film was announced. Touted to be based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, a large part of the film was shot in Chennai. Now almost ready for release, the film is believed to have made the elder Ambani brother concerned.

Initial reports said that Mukesh wanted to see how Dhirubhai had been portrayed in the film, but the latest rumours are that on hearing the character which is supposedly based on Mukesh Ambani is a negative one, he reportedly approached Mani Rathnam and requested him for a private screening.

The ace director however, is believed to have refused, and is determined to keep the film under wraps till its scheduled release. Sources in the production add that anticipating trouble between the brothers, because the film is to be released by Adlabs, (an Anil Ambani owned Reliance company), Mani had approached Amitabh Bachchan to mediate and ensure that there’s no trouble. The reason for Mani’s concern is because Guru has been described as his most ambitious film to date.

Will Big B agree? “He may,” said the source, “because Abhishek has a lot riding on the film and he (Abhishek) is very close to Mani Rathnam.” Abhishek Bachchan plays the lead in the film as a young and ambitious man who makes all his dreams come true. Paired opposite him, Aishwarya Rai essays the role of Dhirubhai’s wife Kokilaben. Madhavan plays an associate of Abhishek’s and Vidya Balan is Madhavan’s love interest. The twist is that Bachchan is shown to have twin sons.

Interestingly, this is not the first time Mani Rathnam has been pressurised to screen his film in advance. Before Bombay was released, Bal Thackeray was believed to have asked Mani for a preview, but then too Mani had refused.