Randeep Hooda, renowned for his diverse portrayals in Bollywood, recently revisited a defining chapter of his early acting career. The actor revealed that he once turned down a role in Ram Gopal Varma’s production Ab Tak Chhappan (2004) because he was not offered the part played by Nana Patekar. However, this initial rejection did not hinder their eventual collaboration, as Hooda later worked with Varma in the 2005 film D, written and co-produced by the acclaimed filmmaker.
In an interview, Hooda shared, “After my theatre play, I was called by RGV. He wanted me to play a young officer’s role in Ab Tak Chhappan. When they asked me about it, I refused. I said, ‘I have come here to play Nana Patekar’s role. I am not doing this role.’” He recounted that he was subsequently invited to meet Ram Gopal Varma in person. “I met him. He told me, ‘I love your attitude. Show me your body.’ He told me we would do a film called Ek in which I was supposed to play a villain. But that film didn’t get made,” Randeep recalled.
Reflecting further, Hooda spoke about how his then-girlfriend reacted strongly to his demeanor with Varma. She criticized him for displaying too much attitude and not enough humility. Taking her advice to heart, Randeep decided to adopt a more respectful tone during his next meeting with the filmmaker. However, Ram Gopal Varma’s response surprised him. “I liked you better yesterday,” RGV said, appreciating the raw confidence Randeep had initially displayed.
The actor also shared a fascinating detail about his early days working with Varma. To prevent Randeep from seeking other acting opportunities, the director decided to place him on a retainer. “I went to him and said that I was looking for other roles because I had a home to run. He told me not to and asked me about my monthly expenses. I quickly calculated, surged it a bit and said Rs 35,000. So, he kept me on a salary of Rs 35,000 for three years and told me not to do any other work. This was before we started working on D,” he explained.
Randeep Hooda continues to captivate audiences with his powerful performances. He was recently seen in Sunny Deol’s film Jaat, where he portrayed the antagonist Ranatunga. Fans can also look forward to his next project, where he will share the screen with Hollywood star John Cena in the highly anticipated action thriller Matchbox.
