Latest news with #Jaanwar
India.com
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet superstar whose career was revived after Sunny Deol and Ajay Devgn rejected this film, earned three times its budget, movie was…, his name is…
In ever-shifting landscape of Bollywood casting, some films take unexpected turns before reaching the silver screen. One such project, which eventually became a notable entry in early 2000s cinema, was originally envisioned with two of the industry's top action stars. In a recent interview, the director revealed that both Sunny Deol and Ajay Devgn were approached for the lead role but exited the project at different stages. What followed was a surprising casting choice that helped shape the film's final identity. Let's see who this actor was who has now become a superstar. The Most Talented Superstar of Bollywood The actor we are talking about here is Akshay Kumar , who is currently celebrating the release of his latest movie, Housefull 5 and has starred in more than 150 films throughout his career that has lasted over three decades. Akshay Kumar made his entry into the film industry with a leading role in the 1991 film Saugandh . Throughout the years, he became a key figure in many movies; however, he struggled to attain the stardom or commercial success he desired. This all changed with the 1999 release of Jaanwar , which was directed and produced by Suneel Darshan and featured co-stars Karisma Kapoor and Shilpa Shetty alongside Akshay Kumar. However, many of you must not have known this, but for this, Akshay was not the first choice for the makers. Suneel Darshan's Revelation About Jaanwar's Casting Suneel Darshan told in a recent interview with India Today that Jaanwar was originally planned to star Sunny Deol and later Ajay Devgn , both of whom declined to participate. He said, 'Jaanwar wasn't written for Akshay. With Sunny Deol, the film was initially intended. We were almost ready to travel when we disagreed about some nasty matters. These items are still pending. So I decided to move on and find someone else.' Suneel Darshan further elaborated and said, 'Ajay and I met on a Saturday and came to an agreement on the film. We were set to finalize everything that Monday, but Sunday changed everything,' as the director received an unexpected call, 'It came from someone I had never encountered before that was Akshay Kumar. He was very eager to meet right away. I welcomed him over, and he expressed his desire to star in Jaanwar. He inquired, 'Would you think about making the film with me?'' Suneel Darshan admitted he was initially hesitant about casting Akshay Kumar, as the actor 'was experiencing the lowest point of his career' at that time. Suneel Darshan continued, 'However, I considered, 'Here's a good-looking, disciplined actor who is committed to giving 100% of himself.' He even remarked, 'Sir, I will give you 100% of myself,' and his words stayed with me.' With a production budget of Rs 4 crore , Jaanwar grossed more than Rs 12 crore at the box office, marking not only a financial triumph but also rejuvenating Akshay's career, which had been struggling with several unsuccessful films until then.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Rana Daggubati says Rana Naidu is ‘a dark reality of my real life': ‘This show is actually a biopic'
In 2023, Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh Daggubati shared screen space in the Netflix series Rana Naidu. A month later, the makers of the show renewed the crime drama for a second season. Now, with Rana Naidu Season 2 all set to premiere on June 13, Rana Daggubati shared that the series is 'like a dark reality of my real life'. Speaking to NDTV, Rana said, 'I haven't said this before, but this show is actually a biopic in some sense. It is like a dark reality of my real life.' He explained, 'In India, we work in entertainment, we work in the media in some form, which is a very unstructured style. We are a country that has 10-12 different industries. We speak many more languages than that. In this structure, you have to be fluid to be able to fix things constantly. There will always be trouble, you will always have to fix things that's always a parallel with the show.' According to Rana Daggubati, Rana Naidu Season 2 will revolve around the dysfunctional family trying to get functional and see if normal order can come in their life. However, the past catches up. Also Read | Suneel Darshan wanted to make Jaanwar with Sunny Deol, but replaced him with Akshay Kumar after an 'ugly' fallout: 'Those issues are still pending' The show will also feature actors Kriti Kharbanda and Arjun Rampal. During the interview, Kriti shared her excitement on doing a project like Rana Naidu. The actor said, 'I was extremely excited about doing this. I couldn't sleep the night before my first day. It was very exciting for me because no one has ever offered me something like this.' She added that the role is a stark contrast to who she is in real life. 'It is very contrasting to the kind of person I am in real life. For me, that was so exciting that finally someone's offering me something different. That was just amazing.' Rana Naidu is the official adaptation of the 2013 American crime drama series Ray Donovan.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
As Ranbir Kapoor shoots for Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, co-star Arun Govil says ‘no star is suitable to play Lord Ram': ‘You can find someone outside'
With the first part of Ranbir Kapoor's Ramayana all set to release in 2026, actor Arun Govil has expressed his concern in today's actors being worthy of playing Lord Ram. Govil, who is famous for his portrayal of Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan, said, 'I don't think anyone is suitable.' The actor's statement has drawn significant attention, especially since he is part of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana. In a conversation with NDTV, Arun Govil said, 'Three-four people tried recreating it, but they were not successful. I don't think in our lifetime someone should try to recreate Ramayan. As far as some actor playing Ram (is concerned), all the available actors, all the stars at this moment – I don't think anyone is suitable. Maybe you can find someone outside the industry.' Arun Govil's statement has sparked a debate online with many fans expressing concerns regarding Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana where Ranbir Kapoor will be seen in the role of Lord Ram. ALSO READ | Suneel Darshan wanted to make Jaanwar with Sunny Deol, but replaced him with Akshay Kumar after an 'ugly' fallout: 'Those issues are still pending' Previously, actor Prabhas played the role of Lord Ram in Om Raut's Adipurush, a retelling of Ramayana. That film, however, became a target of trolls for its poor VFC and colloquial language. Apart from Ranbir Kapoor and Arun Govil, the film will also star Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman, Lara Dutta as Kaykay and KGF fame Yash as Ravana. Yash is also the co-producer of the film along with Namit Malhotra. Other actors who are expected to star in the film are Rakul Preet Singh, Anil Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan. Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana will be released in two parts on Diwali 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Suneel Darshan wanted to make Jaanwar with Sunny Deol, but replaced him with Akshay Kumar after an ‘ugly' fallout: ‘Those issues are still pending'
From 1997 to 1999, Akshay Kumar experienced more failures than successes.. The spell broke when he starred in the film Jaanwar, where he played the role of Baadshah aka Babu Lohar. The movie became a commercial success, with many praising Akshay's performance. However, did you know Akshay was not the original choice for the film? According to filmmaker Suneel Darshan, the movie was originally written for Sunny Deol. Speaking to India Today, Suneel shared, 'The film was originally planned with Sunny Deol. We were nearly set to go ahead when we had a fallout over some very ugly issues. Those issues are still pending. So I decided to move forward and find someone else.' In the search for a leading hero, Suneel next approached Ajay Devgn. 'Ajay and I met on a Saturday and agreed on the film. We were supposed to finalise everything that Monday, but Sunday changed everything,' said the filmmaker. On Sunday, Suneel received a call from Akshay Kumar, whom he had never met. The filmmaker said, 'He was very keen to meet immediately. I invited him over, and he said he wanted to do Jaanwar. He asked me, 'Would you consider making the film with me?'' ALSO READ | Housefull 5 movie review: Akshay Kumar leads yet another loud, formulaic farce He added, 'Akshay was going through the worst phase of his career at the time. But I thought, 'Here's a good-looking, disciplined actor willing to give 100% of himself. He even told me, 'Sir, I will offer you 100% of myself.' That stayed with me.' Looking at Akshay Kumar's dedication towards this project he was never part of, Suneel Darshan decided to take the risk. Suneel shared, 'I knew I couldn't make money on his name then, but I believed in my ability to bring out his potential. I felt we'd strike a good rapport–and that would reflect on screen.' Suneel Darshan said, just like the male lead, the female lead was also finalised after several changes. After a fallout with Sunny Deol, Suneel decided to make the film with Ajay Devgn and Kajol in the lead roles. However, due to their decision to get married, the filmmaker cast Shilpa Shetty and Karisma Kapoor in the lead roles. 'Kajol was initially meant to be there too, In fact, both she and Ajay were supposed to be part of the film. But as destiny would have it, Ajay and Kajol decided to get married around that time. Tanuja ji called and informed me that it would be difficult for Kajol to do the film. I appreciated her honesty and professionalism. That led to Shilpa Shetty joining the cast, and the rest, as they say, is history.'
India.com
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Akshay Kumar was the first choice for this blockbuster of Ajay Devgn, Kajol exited the film due to..,film is.., lead actress was...
Akshay Kumar was the first choice for this blockbuster of Ajay Devgn, Kajol exited the film due to..,film is.., lead actress was... In the ever-evolving world of Bollywood, numerous key factors contribute to the creation of a film. From multiple delays, location changes, and time alignment, sometimes a movie finds its fate in the most unlikely places. But out of all the elements that can make or break the film's success at the box office, casting is the most important factor. It holds paramount importance. Imagine your favourite film with an entirely different cast. Would it still look the same to you? But in Bollywood, fate often rewrites scripts more often than the screenwriter. What might at first seem a chaos would be destiny's way of lining up things in perfection and sometimes what is one actor's rejection first is another actor's revival. One such story is of the film Jaanwar. Released in the year 1999, this emotional, action-packed film was a major hit which also redefined Akshay Kumar's career. But what many people don't know is that the filmmaker didn't imagine Akshay Kumar for the lead role initially. In an interview, Jaanwar's filmmaker Suneel Darshan revealed the casting reshuffle story of the film. Suneel's first choice for the lead role was Sunny Deol, not Akshay Kumar. Sunny and Suneel were all set to collaborate for the film; however, due to a sudden fallout between the two, this partnership couldn't go ahead. 'We were nearly set to go ahead when we had a fallout over some very ugly issues. Those issues are still pending. So I decided to move forward and find someone else', he shared. After Sunny Deol, the filmmaker's next choice was Ajay Devgan, who was a leading star at that point of time, however, even that didn't turn out as imagined. 'Ajay and I met on a Saturday and agreed on the film. We were supposed to finalise everything that Monday, but Sunday changed everything.' Destiny had other plans, and the film eventually went to the actor whose fate was destined for it. In a turn of events, Suneel got a call from one of the top leading stars of today. 'It was from someone I had never met before, Akshay Kumar,' Darshan revealed. 'He was very keen to meet immediately. I invited him over, and he said he wanted to do Jaanwar. He asked me, 'Would you consider making the film with me?'' Darshan was initially sceptical. 'I knew I couldn't make money on his name then, but I believed in my ability to bring out his potential. I felt we'd strike a good rapport—and that would reflect on screen.' However, it was Akshay's honesty and attitude that convinced the director. Darshan added, 'Akshay was going through the worst phase of his career at the time. But I thought, 'Here's a good-looking, disciplined actor willing to give 100% of himself.' He even told me, 'Sir, I will offer you 100% of myself.' That stayed with me.' Despite being aware of Akshay's low graph at the box office during that time, Darshan played all his bets and followed his instincts, which eventually paid off. Meanwhile, the female lead of Jaanwar also changed. It was Kajol who was first chosen to star opposite her then-boyfriend Ajay Devgn. However, she also had to back out because of her wedding plans 'Tanuja ji called and informed me that it would be difficult for Kajol to do the film. I appreciated her honesty and professionalism,' Darshan shared. Later, Karisma Kapoor quickly agreed to step in, and Shilpa Shetty further completed the final cast. Besides being a hit commercially and critically, Jaanwar was a film that changed Akshay Kumar's career trajectory. The film showcased Akshay Kumar as a versatile actor, as it helped him break free from his typecast action-hero image. After multiple cast re-shuffles, the film eventually went on to who was destined for it, proving that some casting decisions are not made by filmmakers but the fate itself.
