Ram Gopal Varma is surprised that so much is being read into Amitabh Bachchan 'walking back' into 'Department'. As per the filmmaker, Bachchan Sr. was never 'out' of the project and it was just a matter of time before they started shooting for the film.

"I don't quite understand what are you talking about," says Ramu when questioned about Amitabh Bachchan being back in 'Department', "He was never out to begin with. In fact none of us even talked about the so-called changed plans for the film.

While Ramu makes it all sound way too casual, the fact remains that things had turned bad when Abhishek Bachchan was supposedly replaced by Rana Daggubati. Moreover, after the entire incident around the release of 'Dum Maaro Dum' when Ramu was said to have revealed the film's ending, it was being suggested that Bachchans were mighty upset with the director. This had given rise to speculations that Big B had also walked out.

With the fate of 'Department' hanging in balance, things were said to have gone so much wrong that the maverick director was apparently left with no other choice but to fit in his sequel to 'Bhoot' to make up for the available time.

"Well, I can't be expected to react to every media speculation, right? We start shooting for 'Department' around end of this month and the film would be made with Mr. Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Rana Daggubati", Ramu sets the records straight.