Rajeev Khandelwal recently starred in the TV series Amar Viswas, which began streaming on MX Player. In an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, the actor reacted to the shelved project Chenab Gandhi, which was initially planned with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Speaking with us, Rajeev Khandelwal said, “Knowing that I’m popular, ek commercial film director came to me, jiske baare mein aap sab ko pata hoga. I was signed by a popular filmmaker from our industry. Unhone mujhe sign kiya aur main do film ke deal par tha, par film kabhi take off nahi hui. Since he was a commercial director, the projects seemed commercial, but the script was one of the very few good scripts that I had ever come across. Par woh film take off nahi hui.”
(Knowing that I’m popular, a commercial film director, someone all of you would know, approached me. I was signed by a popular filmmaker from our industry. He signed me for a two-film deal, but the films never took off. Since he was a commercial director, the projects seemed commercial, but the script was one of the very few good scripts I had ever come across. Unfortunately, the film never went on floors.)
“I am talking about Chenab Gandhi. Woh maine script ki wajah se kiya tha. And at that time, I remember telling Mr. Bhansali, ‘aap na mujhe pehle test kare. You tell me that you want me. Post that, give me the liberty to ask you for the script, and also the freedom for me to say no. I know you are a senior director, but sir, aap pehle mere screen test aur look test kar lo. Jis din aap bologe, Rajeev, yes… I want you. Uske baad main script padunga, phir main bhi apna ek right rakhunga haan ya naa bolne ka.’”
(I agreed to do it because of the script. Even at that time, I remember telling Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, ‘Please test me first. Tell me that you want me. After that, give me the liberty to ask for the script, and also the freedom to say no. I know you are a senior director, but sir, please conduct my screen test and look test first. The day you tell me, “Rajeev, yes… I want you,” after that I will read the script, and then I will also keep my right to say yes or no.’)
“Unhone uss baat ki kadar ki. 15–20 din tak hum milte rahe. Uske baad maine jaakar script padhi. Main script sunkar hil gaya aur maine kaha, ‘I will do it. I wanna do it.’ Not because of the setup, but because of the script.”
(He respected that. We kept meeting for 15–20 days. After that, I went and read the script. I was shaken after hearing it and said, ‘I will do it. I want to do it.’ Not because of the setup, but because of the script.)
Watch the interview here:
Moreover, Rajeev Khandelwal also revealed how important it is to understand a script thoroughly, recalling that he once rejected a film because of its screenplay. He added that despite the film’s strong initial buzz, it did not succeed at the box office.
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