Imran Khan claims Vishal Bhardwaj cast him for a ‘dishonest reason’ in Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola: ‘Nothing beyond action and cut, jo karna hai karo’

‘Vishal Bharadwaj cast me for budget’

Speaking on the the YouTube channel Unfiltered by Samdish, Imran said, “I did a film called Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. The idea of casting me as a Haryanvi villager is very left-field casting. It was only in the aftermath that I understood how the film came about.” Imran revealed that the film wa soriginally supposed to star Ajay Devgn but after he dropped out, they started looking for another actor to take his place. “Ajay Devgn was originally attached to the film and they had started preparations. Somewhere during that stage, he backed out. Vishal was very excited about the project as it was a passion project for him. I was coming off a couple of hits like Delhi Belly and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, so he cast me not because I was the perfect actor for the part, but because with me attached, he could get a certain budget to make the film,” he said.

India’s 1st Soapbox Race with actor Imran Khan and director Vishal Bhardwa. (Express Photos By Pradip Das)

Imran then explained that the casting decisions in Bollywood films are driven by finances. If one can get a bigger actor for their film, the film secures a bigger budget. Imran had delivered a few hits at the time so with him on th team, Vishal could secure a bigger budget for the film. “The approach to casting is all based on budget. It has nothing to do with the actor,” he said and added, “Nobody cares whether you’re the right actor for the role. They’re just thinking, ‘How much money can I get with him?’ That’s how I ended up being cast in Matru. On my back, they could get an X amount of money. As an actor, you get excited thinking, ‘Vishal Bhardwaj is calling me.’ It feels daunting and challenging, but you think you’ll give it your best.”

Imran also shared that from the very first day of the shoot, he sensed something was off, particularly in Bhardwaj’s approach towards him. While he acknowledged this could have been overthinking on his part, the feeling persisted.

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‘It was the most lonely film I have ever made’

“This is my extra psychoanalysis and perspective,” he said. “I believe he cast me for a dishonest reason, not a truthful creative one. And once it was done, I think he felt a kind of creative dishonesty, that he had made a choice he didn’t fully believe in. I could feel that from the very first day of the shoot. He never said anything beyond ‘action’ and ‘cut’ to me. There was no bond. It was the most lonely film I have ever made. He left me with ‘jo karna hai karo’.”

When asked whether the director gave him creative freedom because he believed in him, Imran responded, “If you have the talent as a filmmaker, there must be ways to elevate even a weak actor’s performance. That’s why you’re a director, right? But I didn’t feel that here. The film felt like it was made around me in a way that avoided me – no close-ups, always in group shots or over-the-shoulder frames. My point is, if you didn’t want me, you shouldn’t have cast me.”

India’s 1st Soapbox Race with actor Imran Khan and director Vishal Bhardwaj. (Express Photos By Pradip Das)

With neither the actor nor the director fully convinced about the casting or the film itself, it eventually reflected on screen, and Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola failed to make an impact at the box office. The film also starred Anushka Sharma and Pankaj Kapur in key roles. Made on a reported budget of Rs 43 crore, it earned around Rs 62 crore worldwide, as per Sacnilk.

When Vishal Bharadwaj confessed people warned him against casting Imran

Previously, talking at a promotional event, Vishal Bharadwaj said: “I love playing with actors’ images. And secondly, I saw potential in Imran after Delhi Belly. We were both scared when I narrated the script. He asked me if I was sure about casting him. I said if I can direct a film without any training, then anybody can do anything. I have learnt everything on the job.”

He added, “I loved his honesty. Only when you know your weaknesses can you work on them. He’s earnest and wants to prove himself. I have worked with many actors – Ajay (Devgn), Saif (Ali Khan) and Shahid (Kapoor) – but I had the best time with Imran. He didn’t come with preconceived notions, and he left everything to me. I could mould him the way I wanted. It’s the best thing an actor can do.”

Vishal, however, confessed that people warned him against casting Imran. “I hope Matru takes him into a different league. People used to tell me that I had made a mistake by casting Imran, but he has proved everyone wrong. He has not only spoken like a true Haryanvi, but adapted the body language as well.”

Imran Khan is all set to appear in a cameo in Happy Patel Khatarnak Jasoos.