'A cop film will always be compared to Dabangg, Singham'

The filmmaker, whose next project Simmba will see Ranveer Singh don the khakhi uniform as Sangram Bhalerao, said he is confident the film will be original in its character.

"What usually happens is that Chulbul Pandey and Singham have become the iconic characters. When we were making Singham, a lot of people told us are 'you trying to make a Dabangg kind of a film', but the film has its own identity.

"This will always happen. Whenever a cop film will be made people will either draw comparisons with Dabangg or Singham. If the look and part is serious then Singham, if entertaining then Chulbul Pandey. Our cop (Ranveer) is not a Chulbul Pandey kind of a character," Shetty said, who has directed Singham and Singham Returns.

While Dabangg and Singham have mushroomed into a franchise in the action-drama series, the director said it is too early to say the same about Simmba.

"Let's see how the first one does (referring to its commercial success). The first one has to work and then we will think (for the second one)."

Presented by Reliance Entertainment, the film is produced by Rohit Shetty Picturez and Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.

Simmba is the first collaboration among the three top guns of Bollywood.

"Ranveer is a unique personality. With Rohit, he will make his own character. There is no actor like him that I have seen so far. He is an energy ball, the way he will explode is going to be good. I don't think anyone would show the explosion like him on screen," Johar said.

Meanwhile, the director-producer duo will be seen judging 'India's Next Superstars', which goes on air from January 13 on Star Plus.