Veer rips off Russian literature

Literature and Salman Khan seem to be as different as chalk and cheese. Who could have thought that Salman would actually be a part of a film that brings Russian literature to Bollywood? The actor's much-awaited period drama, Veer, is inspired by the Russian literary masterpiece Taras Bulba written by Nikolai Gogol.

The epic, ‘Taras Bulba' is the story of the Cossack patriarch Taras and his two warrior sons, who set off on an epic journey that finally ends in a war with the Polish.

A source said, "Veer has all the swashbuckling elements that Salman enjoys watching in a film and he is sure that the audience enjoys it too. He discussed the idea with his director-friends and eventually asked Anil Sharma to make Taras Bulba into a Hindi film with Mithun Chakraborty as the patriarch and Salman and Sohail Khan as his two brave sons."

The surprising part is Salman's awareness of world literature. One hears Salman is a voracious reader in his spare time. He also read the Hindu scriptures and would like to produce and star as Rama in a film based on the Ramayana.

Director Anil Sharma didn't deny Veer's association with Taras Bulba. "It's not exactly Taras Bulba though some characters and relationships may be similar (to the book). Veer is a period film based in India in 1870."

Interestingly, Salman takes credit for the story of Veer. Anil confirmed and said, "Yes, it is Salman's story, which he wanted to make into a film for a long time."

Wonder if Gogol would've been flattered.

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