Gunjan Chaudhary
Actor Randeep Hooda has revealed that he was originally offered the role of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the blockbuster film Chhava. The historical drama, starring Vicky Kaushal in the lead role, went on to become one of the biggest Hindi film hits of 2025. However, Randeep chose to turn down the opportunity for personal and professional reasons. The role was eventually portrayed by Akshaye Khanna, whose intense performance received widespread appreciation from audiences and critics alike.
Randeep Hooda
Why Randeep Hooda Rejected Chhava
In an interview with one of the media houses, Randeep Hooda shared that filmmaker Laxman Utekar had personally approached him for the role in Chhava. Despite having great respect and affection for the director, the actor said he was going through a difficult phase mentally and physically at the time. Randeep explained that he had recently completed work on Swatantrya Veer Savarkar and was deeply involved in its post-production process.
Randeep Hooda
For the role, he had undergone a major physical transformation, becoming extremely thin and shaving his head. The actor admitted that he was also dealing with an intellectual property court case during that period, which added further stress to his life. While speaking about the reasons behind declining the film, Randeep Hooda said that the narrative of Chhava heavily revolved around Hindu-Muslim themes, and he personally did not wish to engage with that space at the time.
Randeep Hooda
He stated that when Swatantrya Veer Savarkar eventually came his way, he chose to fully dedicate himself to that project instead. The actor’s candid revelation has now sparked discussions among fans, especially considering the massive success Chhava later achieved. After Randeep Hooda stepped away from the role, Akshaye Khanna was cast as Aurangzeb in Chhava.
Randeep Hooda
His portrayal of the Mughal emperor received immense praise for its intensity and screen presence. Many viewers considered his performance one of the highlights of the film. Meanwhile, Vicky Kaushal also received appreciation for portraying Sambhaji Maharaj in the historical epic directed by Laxman Utekar. Amid his busy professional life, Randeep Hooda recently embraced fatherhood. The actor and his wife Lin Laishram welcomed a baby girl on March 10, which also coincided with the birthday of Randeep’s father, Ranbir Hooda.