Tigmanshu Dhulia reveals how Shah Rukh Khan politely rejected him: ‘I don’t do realistic films’
Here's the latest update from the Bollywood world:
Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia is currently busy promoting his soon-to-release movie Ghamasaan, starring Pratik Gandhi and Arshad Warsi in the lead roles. During a recent interaction, Tigmanshu opened up that after completing the movie’s script, he had approached Shah Rukh Khan to play one of the lead roles. However, the star politely turned down the offer.
Adding to this, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan rejected Tigmanshu Dhulia. (File/AFP) How Shah Rukh Khan politely rejected Tigmanshu Dhulia's offer In conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Tigmanshu opened up that he had approached Shah Rukh Khan for the role of a police officer, which was eventually played by Pratik Gandhi. Recalling their conversation, he shared, “To tell the truth, when I wrote the script of this movie, I went to Shah Rukh Khan first for the role that Pratik Gandhi is playing in the movie. So he heard it and he is Shah Rukh Khan, his heart is like a football field. Also, we have known each other for a long time since Dil Se days and in the movie Zero, I played the role of his father. So he heard the script and he told me, ‘Yaar Tishu, mein is tarah ki realistic pictures nahi karta hoon yaar (I don't do realistic films like these).’”
Meanwhile, Arshad Warsi agreed with Shah Rukh's decision and added, “I get it. I also want to see him like a Tom Cruise. That's all. That poor guy, if he does anything realistic then I will have a problem.”
Notably, Tigmanshu has also been making headlines for his recent comments about Dhurandhar. The filmmaker dismissed the movie, saying that it has “no story”. In conversation with The Wire, he shared, “If someone asks you about the story of Dhurandhar, you can't tell it. There is a guy who goes to Pakistan aur vaha tabahi macha deta hai. Is this a story? The stories are finished in films. Also, those who tell the stories are also finished and those who want to tell stories aren't allowed to do so. They think that their films won't work. They follow the same pattern.”
As per the latest buzz, Linking capitalism to the lack of good storytelling in Bollywood, Tigmanshu shared, “This happens during extreme capitalism, people also start looking like each other. You see the fashion these days, everybody looks the same. They all have the same haircut. Even cities are looking identical to each other. The unique character of every city is finished. My city Allahabad (the name has been changed to Prayagraj) was known for so many different things but now it looks like any other city, same malls, same cars. This type of political system finishes your individuality.”
In further updates, Ghamasaan is described as a cat-and-mouse tale set in the Hindi heartland, where male friendships and rivalries unveil homoerotic tensions. Men on both sides of the law traverse arid lands, creating a strong sense of place where unexplored histories reside.
On top of that, The movie stars Pratik Gandhi and Arshad Warsi and will premiere on ZEE5 on September 11.
Vibha Maru is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Entertainment, based in Delhi. With a decade of experience across digital and print media, she covers Bollywood, Hollywood and web shows. A self-confessed cinephile who breathes Hindi cinema, Vibha can often be found sacrificing sleep after binge-watching films and web series. Though she holds a Commerce degree, she discovered her true calling in journalism after enrolling at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). She began her career covering Delhi's cultural scene, food, nightlife, concerts, and city life at The Times of India, before moving into full-time entertainment journalism with India Today. At India Today, Vibha interviewed some of the biggest names in Bollywood and television while carving a niche for herself through movie reviews, opinion pieces, nostalgic features, star interviews, and trend-driven stories. She later brought her storytelling and editorial expertise to The Indian Express, where she continued to deepen her understanding of cinema through long-form entertainment explainers, retrospectives and feature writing. Now, as Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times Entertainment, Vibha continues to chronicle the world of movies and pop culture. Her work spans breaking entertainment news, exclusive interviews, star features, and stories that capture the conversations shaping Indian cinema. Read More
Source: Hindustan Times