Rajeev Khandelwal says Anurag Kashyap had to ‘run from pillar to post’ to make Aamir: ‘They said we’re fine with newcomer but TV actor…’

Rajeev Khandelwal became a household name when he appeared in the television show Kahiin To Hoga. However, despite gaining immense success on television, producers did not have enough confidence in Rajeev when it came to back his debut film Aamir. In a recent interview, Rajeev recalled that it was Anurag Kashyap, who was one of the producers of the film, who had immense faith in Rajeev but he had to run from pillar to post to get a studio to back the film.

Rajeev was talking about the changing perception of actors who migrate from television to films and how, more than the audience, it is perhaps the makers, who have to show faith in the actor’s capability. The actor shared that producers were ready to invest in the film with a newcomer but they did not want a television actor associated with the film. “When I was doing Aamir, Anurag Kashyap told me later that went to so many producers and my character on television was very very popular. He said, ‘I went from pillar to post and I said I have Rajeev Khandelwal here, who is very popular and they said we don’t want popular… even if you take a newcomer, it’s fine with us but TV actor, maybe no,'” he shared with Showsha.

But Anurag Kashyap did not change the actor and stuck to his guns. He ultimately met Vikas Bahl, who was then working in UTV, and they put the film together. “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 is less that’s why they are casting a TV actor. Both of them said that we both believed in Rajeev and when both of them believed in Rajeev, it happened,” he recalled.

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Rajeev Khandelwal said that producers have to give the opportunity to an actor for them to flourish and it is them who need to let go of their preconceived notions. He shared, “Sometimes it is difficult to convince the makers to give you the opportunity where you can showcase the world that probably I am much more than how you look at me. That is more difficult than the audience’s acceptance.”

Rajeev’s debut film Aamir (2008), directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, was lauded by critics. The actor will next be seen in the Disney Plus Hotstar web series Showtime.