Randeep Hooda reveals why he rejected Ab Tak Chhappan, says Ram Gopal Varma asked him to ‘show your body’

Actor Randeep Hooda has reminisced about turning down a role in Ram Gopal Varma’s Ab Tak Chhappan because he wasn't offered Nana Patekar's part. And he revealed that his girlfriend wasn't too pleased. Also read: Lin Laishram reveals why she was hesitant to marry Randeep Hooda: ‘Not sure if this was the right person…’

Randeep looks back

Randeep spoke about Ab Tak Chhappan during a conversation with Shubhankar Mishra on his YouTube channel.

Randeep said, “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’. They asked me to meet RGV. I met him. He told me, ‘I love your attitude. Take off your shirt’… And I showed my 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. My girlfriend at that time scolded me for showing an attitude in front of RGV and not having humility. The next day, when I went to meet him, I talked to him politely and humbly, and he said, ‘I liked you better yesterday’.”

Randeep shared an anecdote about RGV, revealing that the director continued to pay him a salary even after their film Ek was shelved.

He added, “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 ₹35,000. So, he kept me on a salary of ₹35,000 for three years and told me not to do any other work. This was before we started working on D. He cast me in many films after D as well, but I kept getting replaced by other actors”.

About the film

Produced by Ram Gopal Varma, the story of Ab Tak Chhappan (2004) revolves around police inspector Sadhu Agashe (Nana Patekar), who is part of a Mumbai Encounter Squad. The squad is popularly known for having killed 56 people in police encounters. This movie is said to have been inspired by the life of Mumbai Police sub-inspector, Daya Nayak. Nana Patekar was applauded for his strong portrayal and relatable act in this film. Directed by Shimit Amin, the film also stars Revathi, Yashpal Sharma, Mohan Agashe, Nakul Vaid, and Hrishitaa Bhatt.