Tuesday, February 3, 2026
13.1 C
New Delhi

Sohail didn’t want Randeep as ‘Dabangg’ lead: ‘Uska kya market…’

Abhinav Kashyap says he pitched Randeep Hooda's name as lead for 'Dabangg'; recalls Sohail Khan saying, 'Uska kya market hai…'

Filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap has raised multiple allegations against Salman Khan and his family, stating that they sidelined him from ‘Dabangg’. In a recent interview, the director also revealed that he pitched Randeep Hooda’s name for the lead role of the film. However, according to the filmmaker, Sohail Khan dismissed the idea of Hooda as the lead. Here’s what he shared.

Abhinav Kashyap recalls Sohail Khan’s words after he picthed Randeep Hooda’s name as ‘Dabangg’ lead

Abhinav stated that he narrated the story of the film to Salman Khan’s brothers Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan. When they asked about who he is thinking of to headline the film, Kashyap mentioned Randeep Hooda’s name. In an interview with Bollywood Thikana, the director shared that he wanted someone rough and tough for the role of Chulbul Pandey.

Randeep Hooda Bids Tearful Goodbye To Loyal Companion Ranji

However, Sohail dismissed the idea. Kashyap recalled him saying, “No, yaar, Randeep Hooda ka kya market hai, kaun paise lagayega, koi bada hero soch (No man, Randeep Hooda doesn’t have a market. Who would invest in a movie starring him in the lead? Think about someone big).”After this, he suggested the names of Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Deol. He even mentioned Salman Khan’s name, since the superstar had a good body. However, he doubted if the actor could carry a tough role because “Salman had a ‘chichora image’; uski image mawali waali thi (he had a rowdy image).”The filmmaker stated that the Khan brothers agreed on Salman Khan as the lead and told him if the superstar accepts the script, they would produce it.

Abhinav Kashyap on Sonakshi Sinha as lead

In the same interview, Abhinav also revealed that he never suggested Sonakshi Sinha as the lead. It wasn’t his idea to cast her. However, the director also stated that he eventually was happy with the performance she delivered.

Arbaaz Khan wanted to play the role of Chulbul Pandey

Kashyap also shared that after he narrated the story to Arbaaz Khan, he wanted to play the role of Chulbul Pandey. However, Kashyap convinced him that he would be a perfect fit in the supporting role. Khan eventually agreed to it on the condition that he would be producing the film. Go to Source

Hot this week

‘Trump Treated Munir Like A Mistress’: Pakistanis Mock Shehbaz, Army Chief Over India-US Trade Deal

Pakistanis roasted the nation’s civil and military leadership online after Trump and PM Modi made the US-India trade deal agreement. Read More

Texas journalist ‘exposes’ Indian recruiters behind ‘H-1B only’ job ads on LinkedIn: ‘When I call the numbers…’

Texas journalist Sara Gonzales, who knocked on the doors of a few H-1B addresses in Texas, exposing a ‘major scam’ in the state, has now targeted Indian recruiters offering ‘H-1B only’ jobs at various US locati Read More

Pakistan-born Anosh Ahmed, hospital exec who fled US after $290M fraud, arrested in Serbia

Pakistan-born Anosh Ahmed, a former executive at Loretto Hospital in Chicago, has been arrested in Serbia after fleeing the United States following charges of defrauding the federal government of $290 million. Read More

YouTuber Markiplier’s indie film ‘Iron Lung’ shocks the box office with a $21.7M global opening

Image Via Instagram Markiplier has scored a major surprise at the box office with his independently made film Iron Lung. The movie opened at No. 2 in North America, earning $17.8 million from 3,015 theaters in its first weekend. Read More

S Jaishankar Holds ‘Useful Discussion’ With Scott Bessent Amid India-US Trade Deal Announcement

Jaishankar’s meeting with Bessent comes hours after India and the United States announced a new trade deal lowering tariffs. Read More

Topics

‘Trump Treated Munir Like A Mistress’: Pakistanis Mock Shehbaz, Army Chief Over India-US Trade Deal

Pakistanis roasted the nation’s civil and military leadership online after Trump and PM Modi made the US-India trade deal agreement. Read More

Texas journalist ‘exposes’ Indian recruiters behind ‘H-1B only’ job ads on LinkedIn: ‘When I call the numbers…’

Texas journalist Sara Gonzales, who knocked on the doors of a few H-1B addresses in Texas, exposing a ‘major scam’ in the state, has now targeted Indian recruiters offering ‘H-1B only’ jobs at various US locati Read More

Pakistan-born Anosh Ahmed, hospital exec who fled US after $290M fraud, arrested in Serbia

Pakistan-born Anosh Ahmed, a former executive at Loretto Hospital in Chicago, has been arrested in Serbia after fleeing the United States following charges of defrauding the federal government of $290 million. Read More

YouTuber Markiplier’s indie film ‘Iron Lung’ shocks the box office with a $21.7M global opening

Image Via Instagram Markiplier has scored a major surprise at the box office with his independently made film Iron Lung. The movie opened at No. 2 in North America, earning $17.8 million from 3,015 theaters in its first weekend. Read More

S Jaishankar Holds ‘Useful Discussion’ With Scott Bessent Amid India-US Trade Deal Announcement

Jaishankar’s meeting with Bessent comes hours after India and the United States announced a new trade deal lowering tariffs. Read More

Chitrangda explains why women rarely lead films like Dhurandhar

Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar emerged as one of the biggest hits of 2025, with the Ranveer Singh-starrer creating massive box office havoc and reigniting the industry’s appetite for war dramas and action thrillers. Read More

NHS introducing ‘close-relative marriage’ nurse role in UK draws backlash

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has advertised a pilot role known as a “close-relative marriage nurse/midwife” at a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Bradford. Read More

Kazakhstan, Pakistan nationals charged in massive $1 billion medicare fraud across US

Federal prosecutors in Chicago have charged several foreign nationals with running vast Medicare and health insurance fraud schemes that allegedly siphoned more than $1 billion from US government programmes and private insurers by bil Read More

Related Articles