Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda recently opened up about a significant moment in his career when he turned down Ram Gopal Varma’s iconic film Ab Tak Chhappan (2004). The actor revealed that he rejected the role in the film because he wasn’t offered the role played by Nana Patekar. In an exclusive interview, Randeep shared that he had his sights set on the role of the gritty cop, a character made famous by Patekar, and wasn’t willing to settle for anything less.
Randeep reflected on his early career, admitting that after watching the trailer of Company, he was eager to work with Ram Gopal Varma. Three years later, when he was offered a role in Ab Tak Chhappan as a young officer, he politely refused, stating, “I have come here to play Nana Patekar’s role. I am not doing this role.” This rejection led to an interesting turn of events when RGV asked him to meet again. The filmmaker was impressed with Randeep’s confidence and attitude, which eventually led to him being offered the antagonist role in Ek, though the film was eventually shelved.
The actor also revealed a personal anecdote from that time, admitting that his girlfriend at the time scolded him for his “attitude” when interacting with RGV. However, the experience did not go unnoticed, as RGV later commented, “I liked you better yesterday” when Randeep showed a more polite side during their next meeting.
In a further twist, after the shelving of Ek, Randeep went to RGV and confessed that he needed acting jobs to support his livelihood. Ram Gopal Varma, understanding the actor’s situation, asked him about his monthly expenses and kept him on a salary for three years before roping him in for D. This generosity helped Randeep during a tough period in his career.
On the work front, Randeep Hooda was last seen in Jaat, alongside Sunny Deol, and has garnered attention for his powerful performances over the years.