Cinema VinesThe dispute over the forthcoming film Oh My God 2 (OMG 2) has intensified after actor Paresh Rawal claimed in an interview with Vickey Lalwani that he originated the story and idea for the sequel, yet was denied proper acknowledgment. Rawal, who starred alongside Akshay Kumar in the 2012 original, alleges that his wife, Swaroop Paresh Rawal, was credited as a co‑producer on the new project.
Co‑producer Ashwin Varde has responded forcefully, labeling Rawal’s accusations as “untrue” and “unsubstantiated.” Varde explained that director Amit Rai first presented the subject matter of OMG 2 to him, noting that the storyline closely resembled the format of the original film. According to Varde, Rai had written the script in the OMG style because Rawal had requested it remain similar to the first installment. Varde also highlighted that the intellectual property rights of the original film belong to Akshay Kumar, which prevented the creation of a sequel without Kumar’s approval.
Varde recounted that when Rai asked Rawal about the IP, Rawal claimed ownership, prompting Varde to realize that Rawal was attempting to produce a version of OMG under a different title. Varde described this as “unethical and unprofessional,” equating it to theft of another creator’s work. He added that Rawal had approached actors Ajay Devgn and Salman Khan for a role that ultimately went to Akshay Kumar, but the actors declined, citing the film’s connection to Kumar.
According to Varde, his company, Wakaoo Films, secured the script, which remains registered under the name of sole writer Amit Rai. He emphasized that Rawal had not contributed to the script and that any expectation of credit was unwarranted. Varde also mentioned that during a casting meeting, Rawal insisted the film could not be considered an OMG sequel without Kumar’s involvement, suggesting Rawal wanted to exclude the star for undisclosed reasons.
Despite the controversy, Varde maintains that Rawal was credited as the producer of OMG 2, although he claims Rawal made no substantive contribution to the film. The situation remains unresolved as both parties continue to defend their positions.
