Mumbai:

Katrina Kaif as a silently suffering widow? Sounds like a contradiction in terms. But trust Ram Gopal Varma to opt for the unexpected with expected regularity.

Having cast most of the other major parts in his remake of Sholay (Basanti is still pending), Ramu has now signed the lovely Katrina Kaif to play the mutely grieving widow Radha in Sholay. Jaya Bachchan has already taken the part to heights of unspoken poignancy. You wonder what the glamorous Katrina can do with the part.

“Not so fast,” cautions Ramu. “I’ve directed Katrina in Sarkar. I know what she’s capable of. She’s a classic beauty. I’m casting her as a south Indian Brahmin’s daughter-in-law in the film. I think relocating such a glamorous girl in a deglamourised milieu would be interesting.”

Ramu says in principle the widow’s part will remain unchanged in the new version of Sholay.

For the actress, playing a widow so early in her career is a gamble. Perhaps Ramu’s Sholay could rev up Katrina’s career.