Ram Gopal Varma dismisses rumours of a team member testing positive for Covid-19

A few websites recently reported that filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma was forced to suspend shoots of his upcoming projects as a key member of his team had tested positive for Covid-19. The Rangeela director, on Saturday (July 4), dismissed the rumours and clarified that those associated with his films had tested negative for the novel coronavirus. He added that the entire unit is adhering to the guidelines and not taking any risks.

“News circulating that we stopped shooting work because one of our team has tested positive is incorrect ..In fact we made everyone involved go through a test before shoot start and all tests came negative ..We are stringently following all guidelines (sic),” he tweeted.

Also Read: Ram Gopal Varma on nepotism debate: People have not understood why Karan Johar became successful

RGV, considered to be one of the most controversial names in the film industry, redefined the tenets of Hindi cinema with films such as Shiva, Satya and Daud. He also made a solid impact in Tollywood with films like Siva, Kshana Kshanam and Gaayam. He worked with some of the biggest names in the industry — right from Nagarjuna to Amitabh Bachchan — and proved his mettle.

‘Ramu’, however, hit a rough patch when Aag (2007) bombed at the box office and failed to impress fans. Most of his subsequent releases turned out to be commercial failures, taking a toll on his popularity. Last year, he regained his mojo when Lakshmi’s NTR did better than expected. His next release Amma Rajyam Lo Kadapa Biddalu too grabbed a fair deal of attention, despite receiving negative reviews.

RGV recently collaborated with adult performer Mia Malkova for Climax, which released directly on a streaming app. His last movie Naked too released online, taking social media by storm. The film revolved around what happens when a homemaker gets intimate with her domestic help. RGV currently has films such as Power Star, 12’o Clock and The Man Who Killed Gandhi in his kitty. He is also working on a movie highlighting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.