As his visit to terror-hit Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh sparked a controversy, filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma Monday said he happened to be there by chance and that the issue should not be politicised.

Eyebrows were raised after Verma and Reitesh Deshmukh, actor-son of the Chief Minister, accompanied the CM as he visited the hotel Sunday. Deshmukh also faced criticism  from a section of the media, which said he had gone on a 'picnic' along with son and Verma.

Downplaying his visit, Verma said, "Let me clarify that the Chief Minister did not invite me as I have never been even formally introduced to him. It was just that I happened to be with Riteish at that time, whom I know very well."
   

He also said that he has "no intention" of making a film on Mumbai terror strikes.
    

The film director said that no one should derive any other meaning from the visit by politicising it as he maintained that it was time to fight unitedly against terrorism.

Bollywood filmmakers, who are known to have used some tragedies as their movie plots, are being cautious this time keeping in mind the shimmering tension among the public.

"A humble appeal to Mahesh Bhatt, Ram Gopal Verma, Sanjay Gupta, Rahul Dholakia and Apoorva Lakhia, Sirs, what's happening in our beloved Bombay is terrifying and sad," an SMS doing the rounds said reflecting the vox populi.
     

"Don't insult us by thinking of making a 'realistic' film glorifying or capitalising on this situation. God please save our country from such terrorism and such filmmakers," it
said.

Filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt, Dholakia and Lakhia have made it clear that that they have no intention of making a film on the tragedy.

However, one industry observer said, "It is still too early to say. But going by past experience, Bollywood film makers are known to jump at any tragedy and chose it as a
subject of their venture. And this one is of a monumental nature".