‘Star kids can’t come in my way’

His career got a huge boost with the success of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, and this year Kick helped him consolidate his position further. While many actors would disown projects that don’t release on time, Randeep Hooda is extending his full support for his film Rang Rasiya and director Ketan Mehta. In a freewheeling chat, he opens up about the advantages of starting out in the industry as an outsider, getting a reality check from his parents and inching towards his dream of becoming world famous.

The last few years have actually given you a certain amount of recognition as an actor. Has it now become easy to pick the roles you want?
I won’t say it is easy, it never is. But I do have a lot more choice today. There was a phase when I had no work; there was phase during D and a few other films when I was called the blue-eyed boy. Then there came a time when all my films bombed because I felt all I had to do is stand in front of the camera and people would flock to watch me, which wasn’t the case. I was out of the work for the longest time. After Once Upon A Time... it all started to change and then may be out of a sense of insecurity I kept doing film after film, I got into double shifts, shooting for Jism 2, Ungli, Murder 3, Heroine, Cocktail and I felt this is not my style of working. Now the advantage is that I can take my time and afford to do lesser movies.

Are you content? Do you feel you could have excelled more?
I am not content at all. But I didn’t get bitter being an outsider. I have held on with enthusiasm and talent is mostly enthusiasm and nothing else. Cinema is changing because an actor like me can finally play the lead role. Maybe I came into the picture too early. Now I want to push the envelope.

You spoke about the phase when you had no work. You think the star kids came in your way and took away those roles?
Star kids cannot come in my way…

No, they could have lobbied for the role for which you were already in talks with a certain producer?
Yes, it may happen, I am not aware of it. I have never shied away from the fact that I am an outsider. But we all have our set of advantages. I have lived a life away from the film world in a small town. Now more identifiable characters are being sketched. I doubt anyone could have done Highway the way I was able to do.

When you were in Australia, where you did odd jobs like cleaning and driving a cab, what was your mindset at that time?
I guess I was looking for something then. I always wanted to be an actor and these experiences have helped me to get into the roles I pick. Also, every now and then I make an effort to be in touch with reality. After the Kick schedule, I went to Delhi and stayed in an Army mess that provided  very basic amenities. I was living on my own, my horses were with me and again it put me back in touch with reality. When I was shooting for Deepa Mehta’s Beeba Boys in Canada, I stayed in an apartment instead of a suite for an isolated experience. Nobody knew me there. Even now, all I have to do is go back to Faridabad where my parents and my sister live.  My parents are still a big reality check for me. Sometimes, very rarely when I splurge and I see the bill, I think about how much that same amount of money would last with my parents. I feel ashamed and I don’t do it again.

Coming to Rang Rasiya, very few actors would come out and promote a film that didn’t release on time…
Because of my solidarity to the film and to director Ketan Mehta. I have had many releases and a lot of work but poor guy, he hasn’t. He is stuck with this for many years now. When he came to me and asked me if I would come for promotions, I said ‘of course, are you joking?’ I feel had the film released at that time, it would have been way ahead of its time. I went and promoted John Day, when Naseer Bhai didn’t go. The film didn’t work, fine. But I have worked on it and I stand by it. In the long run, individual successes or failures are not important, your work is.

Do you have aspirations of being world famous?
I want to reach out to as many people and I don’t mean just India.