Umesh Shukla Breaks Silence On PK Vs OMG Rumours: ‘Sab Afwayein Thi'

Last Updated:
Umesh Shukla clarified that while there were conceptual similarities, the claims of being paid off by the makers of PK to shelve his own project was baseless.
Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal starrer OMG – Oh My God! was widely loved by the audiences. But there was considerable buzz around its striking resemblance with Aamir Khan's PK. Now, years after the release, director Umesh Shukla has addressed long-standing rumours surrounding the two films, including speculation that he was paid off by the makers of PK to shelve his own project.
In a candid interview with Friday Talkies, the director clarified that while there were conceptual similarities, the claims are baseless. He went on to say that people speak about Oh My God!'s similarities with PK, but if PK had released before my film, they might have said the opposite.
'I think they might've had a similar idea in mind. Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, and writer Abhijat Joshi had all seen my play. So, when someone works on a similar subject, there's bound to be some reflection. If you're making a love story and someone says 'I love you' in that film, well, of course they will, it's a love story," he added.
In the same conversation, he addressed the rumours that he was offered Rs 8 crore by the PK team to not proceed with OMG. Umesh said, 'Uss time afwah thi ki PK mein Vidhu Vinod Chopra sahab jo the unhone mujhe 8 crore offer kiye the film nahi banane ke liye. Par wo sab afwayein thi. Aesa kuch hua nahi tha (At that time, there were even rumours that Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who was part of PK, gave me Rs 8 crore to not make the film. But that was just gossip, nothing like that actually happened)."
He further elaborated, 'Wo apne aap mein itne talented log hai. Rajkummar Hirani sahab, Abhijat, Vidhu Vinod Chopra sahab, Aamir Khan sahab, sab log itne talented hainn ki wo itni unchi harkat karte hi nahi the paisa dene ke liye. Yeh sab uchli thi uss samay par aisa kuch nahi tha (They are all incredibly talented individuals—Rajkumar Hirani sir, Abhijat, Vidhu Vinod Chopra sir, Aamir Khan sir. They are way above doing something so petty as offering money to stop a film. These were just talks that floated around back then, but there was no truth to it)."
Previously, responding to the allegations, Rajkumar Hirani denied offering any money back then. He had told Deccan Chronicle, 'Please call Umesh Shukla and ask him or call Paresh. This is absurd, how can someone say something like this." Aamir Khan, who was also present during this conversation, had added, 'It's all lies…fabricated. You should be very careful about what you believe."
Released in 2012, OMG – Oh My God! starred Akshay Kumar as Lord Krishna. The film struck a chord with both audiences and critics for its storyline and powerful performances. The film's successful run at the box office paved the way for a sequel, OMG 2. It was released in 2023, with Pankaj Tripathi taking on the lead role.
First Published:
June 14, 2025, 12:05 IST

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Indian Express

24 minutes ago

• Indian Express

Jaideep Ahlawat confirms being a part of King, says Shah Rukh Khan personally offered him the role

Actor Jaideep Ahlawat was last seen opposite Saif Ali Khan in Siddharth Anand's Jewel Thief, where his glamorous role left many surprised. However, that very transformation reportedly made director Siddharth Anand hesitant to offer him a role in Shah Rukh Khan's King. In a recent interview with Lallantop, Jaideep revealed that he will indeed be seen in King, and shared how 'King Khan' himself offered him the role after sensing Siddharth's skepticism. Confirming his role in King, Jaideep said, 'SRK sir kaafi time se soch rahe the iss cheez ko, jaisa mujhe pata laga hai, but Siddharth (Anand) bhai thoda hichak rahe honge ki chota part hai to offer after Jewel Thief. But Khan saab, being Khan saab, he said I'll talk to him. Ab unki baat kaun nakarega? (From what I have learned, SRK sir was thinking about this for quite some time. But Siddharth was a little skeptical, because it's a small role to offer after Jewel Thief. But Khan saab said he will talk to me, now who can say no to him?)' Also Read: Days after buying a Rs 10 cr luxury property, Jaideep Ahlawat invests in another Rs 10 cr apartment in wife Jyoti Hooda's name Jaideep Ahlawat further went on to praise Shah Rukh Khan and said, 'I really like him. In all my interactions with him — in the five to seven times we've met — starting from Raees, where I shot with him for four to five days, and even after that, whenever we met, he always made me feel like I was the closest person to him. He's a wonderful human being. He has some amazing qualities. Every time I've met him, he's made me feel important.' As for King, other than Shah Rukh Khan, the film also stars Suhana Khan (SRK's daughter) and Saurabh Shukla in important roles.

Time of India

32 minutes ago

• Time of India

'Kuberaa' box office collection day 3 (LIVE): Dhanush starrer conquers the box office with growing popularity

Directed by Sekhar Kamulla, the film 'Kubera' starring Dhanush, Nagarjuna, and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles was released to a grand audience in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi last Friday (June 20). Released amidst high expectations from fans and critics, the film tells a story centered on desires, power, and greed. Produced on a massive budget, the film has made a huge impact in multiple languages. Impressive day 1 and day 2 collections 'Kuberaa' collected Rs 14.75 crore in India on its first day, as per Sacnilk. Of this, the Telugu version got Rs.10 crore, the Tamil version got Rs.4.5 crore, the Kannada version got Rs.0.02 crore, and the Hindi version got Rs.0.23 crore. The second day's collection rose to Rs 17.61 crore, of which Telugu earned Rs 12.77 crore, Tamil Rs 4.5 crore, and Hindi Rs 0.34 crore. This also shows a growth of 19.39% compared to the first day. Steady day 3 earnings and high theater occupancy 'Kuberaa' added Rs 4.67 crore on its third day, taking its total collection to Rs 37.2 crore. The film opened with 51.33% seat occupancy in the morning shows in Telugu states and rose to 53.46% in the afternoon shows. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo These numbers show that 'Kubera' is doing well over the weekend. The film is expected to continue its good run for the rest of the week as well. Powerful performances, engaging plot, and memorable music drive 'Kuberaa' Featuring powerful performances by Dhanush and Nagarjuna, along with a stellar cast including Rashmika Mandanna, 'Kuberaa' has a compelling story and emotional scenes. Sekhar Kammula 's strong direction and Devi Sri Prasad's music have cemented the film's success. 'Kuberaa', which has set a record in its first-weekend collection, is expected to reach further heights in the coming days.

India.com

33 minutes ago

• India.com

Sitaare Zameen Par box office collection day 3: Aamir Khan's film continues its steady run, earns Rs...

Sitaare Zameen Par box office collection day 3: Aamir Khan's film continues its steady run, earns Rs... Aamir Khan and Genelia D'Souza's Sitaare Zameen Par released in theatres on Friday and is doing a steady business at the box office. The movie directed by RS Prasanna and bankrolled by Aamir Khan Productions, has delivered promising signs of sustained success in its opening weekend. As per estimated reports, the film earned over 32 crore in two days. On day 3, the Aamir Khan starrer has earned Rs 6.87 crore across all languages combined. While figure appears moderate as compared to other two days, it is important to note that these are just initial numbers based as per the given live data, including the morning and afternoon of Sunday's box office numbers. The numbers are expected to be updated throughout the day, according to entertainment tracking portal Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par enjoys a great weekend at box office On Friday, the film had a decent opening, with an estimated collection of Rs 10.7 crore across India. On Saturday, its progress continued as the film jumped to double earnings, raking in approximately Rs net in India. The numbers were fueled by positive-word-of-mouth and family holiday outings, having an impressive collection of Rs 32.4 crore net by the end of the day. Calculating, the overall figures of three days, Sitaare Zameen Par's has grossed Rs 37.77 crore net at the Indian box office. Please note that the current figures are based on live tracking data. The numbers are updated hourly, with official day-wise estimates expected till 10 pm. Sitaare Zameen Par's box office day collection- 3 Days Day 1- (Friday)- Rs 10.7 Core Day 2- (Saturday)- Rs 20.2 Crore Day 3- (Sunday)- Rs 6.87 Crore (Morning and Afternoon numbers) Total- Rs 37.77 crore The film has enjoyed a great start at the box office and now expects a solid amass for its upcoming weekdays. The inspirational drama continues to capture the interest, contributing heavily to film's healthy occupancy rates. Apart from Aamir Khan and Genelia D'Souza, Sitaare Zameen Par stars lovely group of debutants including Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar.