Ashutosh Rana was not the first choice for Gokul Pandit, Lajja Shankar Pandey, actor told Mahesh Bhatt, ‘Either you say I am a bad actor or…’

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However, the filmmaker convinced Ashutosh Rana to do a small scene in Aamir Khan’s Ghulam, that of a revolutionary. He didn’t refuse because his father had told him, “Whatever Mahesh Bhatt gives you, you have to accept it.” Eventually, this one scene in Ghulam landed Rana the role of Gokul Pandit.

“Destiny had some other plans. Ghulam took a longer time to be made. At that time, they did a trial of the movie in Ajanta theatre. They saw my scene in it and Pooja (Bhatt) and Bhatt sahab decided that we will scrap the three reels that we have shot of Dushman and we will cast Ashutosh Rana,” narrated the actor.

The filmmaker called the actor and told him never to complain to him as he has made him a “star”. “I reached there and he told me, ‘You are doing Gokul Pandit.’ I asked him, ‘Aap sach bol rahe ho? Main zor se chilla lun? Duniya ko bata dun? (Are you telling the truth? Can I shout? Can I tell the world?) My shout should not go to waste.’ I screamed and informed my family. So, it was quite unexpected for me,” Rana revealed during the interview.

The role got Ashutosh Rana many awards, including a Screen Award, Filmfare Award and Zee Cine Award. Later, the actor had a similar experience when Mahesh Bhatt started casting for his 1999 drama, Sangharsh. Rana again played the role of the villain, Lajja Shankar Pandey, in the film.

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“I was shooting in Hyderabad and I got to know that Bhatt Sahab has cast someone else after narrating it to me. I went to him and said, ‘Either you say I am a bad actor and take back all the praise you gave me for Dushman or take my audition. If I fail the audition, then it is your right to not cast me,'” shared Rana.

Ashutosh Rana was last seen in Salman Khan’s Tiger 3. Next, he has Siddharth Anand’s Fighter in the pipeline. The actor worked with the filmmaker in his Shah Rukh Khan starrer Pathaan as well.