Rajeev Khandelwal reveals producers rejected Aamir Khan due to his TV background; Says ‘Even if you take a newcomer, it’s fine with us but a TV actor, maybe no’

MUMBAI: After being well-known on television, Rajeev Khandelwal stepped into films with Aamir. He recently discussed in an interview how Anurag Kashyap had trouble finding producers for the movie because they were reluctant to work with a "TV actor." Anurag and Vikas Bahl had faith in Rajeev's abilities and the project.

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The film's storyline captured Rajeev's attention, and he wondered why no "star" accepted it. Even with Anurag's best efforts, most producers wouldn't back a "TV actor", that is until he met Vikas Bahl, who gave the project his support.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui and filmmaker Raj Kumar Gupta conducted workshops, as recalled by Rajeev Khandelwal. “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.

Khandelwal most recently starred in the OTT series Showtime, previously stated in an interview with a well-known news portal that producers were willing to finance a movie starring a newcomer but not one featuring 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 claimed that getting an investor for Aamir was made possible by Kashyap's belief in him. “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.”

(Also read: "I will soon be out of Left Right Left" - Rajeev Khandelwal)

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Credit- News 18