Veteran actor Paresh Rawal has addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding OMG 2, making it clear that his comments were never directed against Akshay Kumar. Speaking about the issue, he said he continues to share a good professional relationship with the actor, pointing out that they recently worked together on Bhoot Bangla and are also collaborating on Bhagam Bhaag 2.
Rawal revealed that Akshay had encouraged him to be part of OMG 2, but he declined because he was not comfortable with the film’s approach to discussing sex through religious characters. While the film went on to become a commercial success with Pankaj Tripathi in the lead role, Rawal said he still believes the story did not require divine characters to convey its message.
Paresh Rawal says he only wanted credit for the original idea
Explaining his side of the story, Rawal stressed that he has never claimed to be the writer of OMG 2. According to him, the screenplay was written by director Amit Rai, who is officially credited with the script.
However, Rawal recalled that he had first suggested the idea of making a film around sex education, beginning with the story of a young boy dealing with masturbation. He also recommended consulting renowned sexologist Dr. Prakash Kothari so the film could be based on scientific facts.
Rawal said that while Amit Rai developed the screenplay, the initial concept came from their discussions. His only request was to receive acknowledgment for contributing the original idea, adding that he never asked for writing credit or financial compensation.
Actor dismisses fee rumours and responds to producer’s claims
Paresh Rawal also explained why he never publicly raised the matter earlier, saying the topic surfaced only during an interview years later. He insisted that he never accused Amit Rai of taking credit for the script and only expressed that recognition for the original concept would have been appreciated.
Responding to producer Ashwin Varde’s claim that he had approached Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn with the project, Rawal said he deliberately avoided pursuing the film because the OMG franchise belonged to Akshay Kumar. He added that he did not want anyone to believe he was trying to benefit from the franchise without Akshay’s involvement.
Addressing reports that he rejected OMG 2 over remuneration, Rawal dismissed the speculation. He said that if money had been his priority, he would have accepted the film. He also noted that actors often contribute creative suggestions during development and believes it would have been fair to acknowledge any idea that eventually became part of the final film. Rawal concluded by saying he holds no bitterness towards anyone involved and continues to respect both Ashwin Varde and Amit Rai.