'Agneepath' has released and as expected, comparisons are being drawn with the original that had starred Amitabh Bachchan. While the film has indeed gone through a sea change with a 20 year gap between the Mukul S Anand and Karan Malhotra directed versions, one factor that is seeing a hot debate is the character of Vijay Deenanath Chauhan. As is obvious, Hrithik Roshan has approached the character way too differently from the manner in which Amitabh Bachchan had played Vijay, something that is leading to mixed reactions amongst those who have had a dekko at both the versions.

"But then the idea was not to make Vijay intimidating at all," defends first time director Karan Malhotra, "There was no way that I could have asked Hrithik to do something that would have compared with Mr. Bachchan. Come one, what he did back then in the original 'Agneepath', no actor in India can. In my head I was sure that Vijay had to be real and identifiable. What Hrithik portrayed was exactly as per my vision. I didn't want people to look up to him but walk with him in the revenge. I wanted audience to feel that given the space and time, even they would have done exactly the same."

No wonder, it is quite apparent that the legend of Vijay Deenanath Chauhan has been completely de-structured in this remake effort.

"I think mujhse bada bewakoof koyi nahi hota agar main sochta that I could recreate the same film. If I would have been set out to do that, it would have been suicidal. Jab aukaat hi nahi hai toh phir zaroorat se zyaada ambitious kya banna", smiles Karan.

Listen to 'Agneepath' Songs on Raaga!