‘I wanted Shah Rukh Khan for Dawood’s role in Company’: Ram Gopal Varma reveals why he didn’t cast ‘hyperactive’ SRK

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma revealed that he didn’t always have Ajay Devgn and Vivek Oberoi in mind while casting for his 2002 gangster drama Company. He said that he approached none other than Shah Rukh Khan to play the film’s version of the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, while he initially wanted Abhishek Bachchan to play the Chhota Rajan character. Additionally, he thought of Kamal Haasan in the role that eventually went to Mohanlal.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel — RGV has revisited several of his films in a similar manner — the filmmaker spoke about several key scenes in Company, and discussed the casting process. Asked if Ajay Devgn was always the first choice for the role of Malik, RGV said, “At one point of time, I wanted Shah Rukh. I met Shah Rukh, he was excited. I wanted Shah Rukh for Dawood. But I felt that he’s very hyper; his energy, the way he is… That’s what people like. I thought, to make him very subtle – not moving at all and very silent — I thought it would look very odd on screen. Which is the reason I didn’t pursue. I just had one meeting with him, but I didn’t pursue him because I just felt that his body language is wrong for the part.”

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He continued, “There is an actor and there is a performer. Shah Rukh is a performer. He’s hyperactive, which is what endears the audience to him. So, this lazy guy, sitting in the back… This is Ajay’s natural body language. So, that’s when I thought Ajay is more perfect for the role, and that’s when it happened.” For the role of Chandu, RGV said that he wanted Abhishek, but he was occupied with other projects.

Even the role of the Mumbai police commissioner wasn’t designed for Mohanlal. “Very initially, I actually wanted to approach Kamal for that role. I met him also. But there also I felt the same problem I had with Shah Rukh. Their natural stardom, in a realistic film, it’ll just look off. Because of that I changed my mind, and then I approached Mohanlal,” he said. Company was the second installment in the filmmaker’s spiritually connected trilogy of gangster movies, which began with Satya and continued with D, which was directed by Vishram Sawant. Shah Rukh went on to play a gangster in the film Raees, which opened to mixed reviews and under-performed at the box office.