Akshay Kumar’s OMG 2, released in 2023, earned praise from critics and audiences alike. The film also performed well at box office for its bold subject. However, actor Paresh Rawal has now made a surprising claim about the film’s origin.
In a recent interview, Paresh said that the original concept behind OMG 2 came from him. He alleged that although he helped shape the story from the beginning, he was never credited for the idea after the film was made.
Paresh says he approached director Amit Rai with the concept
Speaking to journalist Vickey Lalwani, Paresh recalled how the project first began. According to him, he reached out to filmmaker Amit Rai, who later directed OMG 2, with an idea for a film.
Paresh clarified that he never claimed to be a professional writer. Instead, he wanted to contribute the core idea, discuss the story, and help improve the screenplay during its development.
He said he worked closely with Amit while the story was taking shape, offering suggestions and helping refine the narrative rather than writing the script himself.
The original story focused on a schoolboy and social shame
Paresh revealed that the first version of the story was quite different from the film that eventually reached theatres.
According to him, the plot centred on a schoolboy who was caught masturbating. A video of the incident was leaked online, making the boy the target of public humiliation and destroying his life. The boy’s father, in Paresh’s version, worked as a tourist guide at the famous Khajuraho temples.
He explained that the film was intended to address issues around sexuality, shame and public judgment in society.
Changes were made during script development
Paresh said that Amit Rai later suggested changing the father’s profession. Instead of being a tourist guide, the father became a part-time priest at the Mahakal Temple.
He added that after agreeing on the basic idea, both of them continued developing the script together. They also involved renowned sexologist Dr Prakash Kothari, who contributed to discussions as the screenplay evolved.
Paresh said everyone involved was deeply invested in making the story meaningful and socially relevant.
The script was rejected before finding interest
According to Paresh, he and Amit first pitched the story to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Later, they also presented it to Somen Mishra from Dharma Productions.
However, Paresh claimed that Somen rejected the project immediately, saying the idea would not work.
He never wanted a divine character in the film
One of the biggest differences, according to Paresh, was the presence of a divine figure.
He said that in his original vision, there was no God or messenger of God guiding the story. Instead, he had imagined a mysterious biker who would mentor and support the father during difficult times.
Paresh revealed that he had even approached Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan for the biker’s role.
He also intentionally avoided approaching Akshay Kumar because he did not want people to assume the film was a sequel to the 2012 hit OMG – Oh My God!
How Akshay Kumar became part of the project
Paresh claimed that while he believed the script was still being developed, Amit Rai later informed him that Akshay Kumar had shown interest in the project.
According to Paresh, he believes the screenplay reached Akshay through producer Ashwin Varde. After that, the makers decided to move ahead with Akshay in a lead role.
Paresh said he did not want to damage his friendship with Amit over creative differences. However, he repeatedly advised him not to turn the project into an extension of the OMG franchise because, in his opinion, it was originally conceived as a completely separate film.
Why Paresh refused to join OMG 2
Paresh also revealed that Akshay personally asked him to be part of the film.
However, he declined the offer because he felt the story had changed so much that he no longer recognised the project he had helped create.
Recalling the conversation, Paresh said he told Akshay that the film being made was not the one he had originally imagined. He pointed out that the inclusion of a divine character completely changed the essence of the story. Although Akshay tried to convince him, Paresh chose to walk away because he had lived with the original script from the beginning and believed it had taken a very different direction.
It is worth noting that Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal had shared the lead roles in the original OMG – Oh My God!, released in 2012.
Paresh says he deserved credit
The veteran actor expressed disappointment that he was not acknowledged for his contribution.
He claimed that despite originating the concept and helping develop the story, his name did not appear in the film’s credits.
Paresh further stated that Amit Rai, Akshay Kumar, producer Ashwin Varde, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar and Salman Khan were all aware that the original concept belonged to him.
He added that Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan had likely declined the project because they believed its sensitive subject could attract controversy. According to Paresh, he had personally explained the story to both actors before the film eventually took a different route.