Rajeev Khandelwal Says Producers Refused Aamir Due to His TV Background: 'Anurag Danced Seeing Final Cut'

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posted on 6 months ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Despite Anurag Kashyap's efforts, most producers were reluctant to support a "TV actor" until he met Vikas Bahl, who backed the project.

Rajeev Khandelwal, once a popular TV actor, transitioned to films with Aamir. In a recent interview, he shared how Anurag Kashyap struggled to find producers for the film because they were hesitant to cast a “TV actor.” However, Anurag and Vikas Bahl believed in the project and in Rajeev’s talent.

Rajeev mentioned that the film’s script captivated him, making him wonder why no “star” was taking it up. Despite Anurag’s efforts, most producers were reluctant to support a “TV actor” until he met Vikas Bahl, who backed the project.

Rajeev Khandelwal remembered doing workshops with director Raj Kumar Gupta and actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui. “Nawazuddin Siddiqui bhai was assigned to me for all the physical workshops which we did on the backroads of Lokhandwala,” he shared. Rajeev remembered that many people involved in the film were first-timers. “Anurag danced on top of a table after seeing the final cut”. The actor added that the film industry reacted “very favourably” to the film.

Earlier, in an exclusive interview with News18, Khandelwal who was last seen in the OTT series Showtime, had revealed that producers were ready to invest in the film with a newcomer but not with an acclaimed TV actor like him. “When I was doing Aamir, Anurag Kashyap (who was one of the makers of the film) told me later that he went to so many producers to finance the film. He went from pillar to post and told everyone that I have Rajeev Khandelwal who is very popular on television. And all of them said and they said that they didn’t want a popular face. Even if you take a newcomer, it’s fine with us but a TV actor, maybe no,” he had said.

The actor had said that it was Kashyap’s faith in him that enabled him to get a financer for Aamir, “Anurag had that conviction. He finally met Vikas Bahl from UTV. I was told later that Vikas asked Anurag, ‘Why do you want Rajeev? Is it because the budget is less?’ They thought that the budget was less, that’s why they are casting a TV actor. But both of them believed in me and that is how Aamir happened.”