Ridhi Dogra initially said no to Jawan, reveals Atlee warned that her character might become a meme

Ridhi Dogra said that she initially turned down the opportunity to appear in Jawan, starring Shah Rukh Khan.

New Delhi | Updated: September 11, 2023 07:18 PM IST

3 min read

Ridhi Dogra in a still from Jawan.

Listen to this article

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Actor Ridhi Dogra played the role the adoptive mother of Shah Rukh Khan’s character Azaad in Atlee’s film Jawan. Ridhi, who is 20 years younger than the superstar, had initial concerns about the role. Nevertheless, her excitement to be part of Atlee’s movie was undeniable, and she couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

In an interview with India Today, Ridhi said, “I’ll be honest, I was very nervous about taking this up, but I didn’t know any better. I didn’t understand if I should do it, or I should not do it. The only thing I saw in it was that it was challenging for me. That’s the only thing that pushed me to do it.”

The actor said that she was busy shooting for various web series when she received a call about the character Kaveri. The opportunity to meet Atlee meant a lot to her and she said that they had already started filming by then.

She continued, “Atlee told me about the role, but it was a brief idea, so I contemplated it. I said no first to playing a mother on screen because I love Shah Rukh Khan so much and was in two minds about this. I mean ‘it’s SRK’. But then, when Atlee called me to meet again, I was convinced about their process. Everyone wants to look beautiful in the quintessential way; starlet, fashionista, but I am also an actor. So, I took playing a mother as a challenge and wanted to take it up.”

Also read | Jawan box office collection Day 4: Shah Rukh Khan-starrer grosses Rs 520 crore globally in four days

Ridhi said Atlee warned her that her character might turn into a meme and told her to be ready for it. She admitted to taking a big risk with this role, and she was quite nervous during the shoot, doubting if it was the right choice. She said, “I have to give it to Atlee, he presented the character really well and justified it. It was all in his head.”

Jawan also stars Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles. The film has already grossed more than Rs 500 crore globally.

From the homepage