Ram Gopal Varma On Not Casting Shah Rukh Khan As Dawood Ibrahim In 'Company': His Body Language Was Wrong

Ram Gopal Varma wanted to cast Shah Rukh Khan for the role of Dawood Ibrahim in 'Company. The director didn't cast him because he is 'hyperactive'.

Outlook Entertainment Desk

Updated on: 23 June 2024 1:13 pm

Ram Gopal Varma reveals Shah Rukh Khan was the first choice for Dawood Ibrahim in 'Company' Photo: Instagram

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma's 2002 film 'Company' is one of the most loved gangster dramas. The film was loosely based on the underworld organistion- D-Company, which was known to be run by underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim. Did you know Ajay Devgn and Vivek Oberoi were not the first choices of Varma? He approached Shah Rukh Khan to play Dawood in 'Company' and wanted Abhishek Bachchan to play the character of Chota Rajan. Here's why he didn't cast SRK.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Ram Gopal Varma was asked if Ajay was always his first choice for the role of Malik, to which RGV said, “At one point of time, I wanted Shah Rukh. I met Shah Rukh, he was excited. I wanted Shah Rukh for Dawood. But I felt that he’s very hyper; his energy, the way he is… That’s what people like. I thought, to make him very subtle – not moving at all and very silent — I thought it would look very odd on screen. Which is the reason I didn’t pursue. I just had one meeting with him, but I didn’t pursue him because I just felt that his body language is wrong for the part.”

He added, “There is an actor and there is a performer'' and called Shah Rukh a ''performer''. The 'Satya' director also said that Khan is ''hyperactive'' which he feels endears the audience to him.

''So, this lazy guy, sitting in the back… This is Ajay’s natural body language. So, that’s when I thought Ajay is more perfect for the role, and that’s when it happened,'' he said further.

Abhishek couldn't be part of 'Company' because he was busy with other projects, said the filmmaker.

Ram Gopal also revealed that initially he approached Kamal Haasan for the role of the Mumbai police commissioner. But later it went to Mohanlal.

The reason why he didn't cast Haasan was because of the same problem he had with Shah Rukh. ''Their natural stardom, in a realistic film, it’ll just look off. Because of that I changed my mind, and then I approached Mohanlal,” said RGV.