What is a Lolita without sex?

Long-standing buddies Jackie Shroff and Shashilal Nair who have collaborated on unusual projects like Falak, Angaar and Grahan had a difference of opinion while shooting for Lolita.

While Shashi insisted that Shroff go about the love-making screen with his screen Lolita as Nabokov envisaged it, Jackie was inhibited about making love on camera.

Nair had to flash the contract for Lolita in front of his friend to get him to comply. "I've learnt to put it all on paper," says Nair. "I've suffered enough in the past. Now friend or no friend, I want everything on paper. "

Jackie had to reluctantly relent and do the hot scenes. " Jackie is a cool guy. So he finally did them. There're strong sexual undercurrents in the film. You cannot make Lolita without sex. It's like halwa without ghee."

Nair admits his version of Lolita is steamy. "It has to be! Haven't you read Lolita? If you have you know sex plays a vital part in the relationship between the older man and his young object of adoration. I've gone by the book.

And no. I don't care if people say I'm being sleazy. I've never cared about prudish opinion. I make the films I want to. Besides according to me, you cannot tamper with a classic."

While Jackie's old co-star Dimple Kapadia plays his wife a new girl is being introduced in the steamy Lolita mode. "We haven't decided what to call her. We call her Lolita on the sets. "

(Is Shakti Kapoor listening?)

As for Ram Gopal Varma's version of Nishabd, Nair protests, "Please! To begin with it wasn't Lolita at all. How could there be Lolita without sex?

But I really loved Ramu's treatment and Amitji's performance. Very classy. My Lolita is nothing like Ramu's Nishabd except the age difference between the couple."

Nair admits people will be shocked by the steamy aroma of his Lolita when it releases circa June. "Let them be. I'd rather shock audiences than bore them."