Randeep Hooda

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could act than surely he too could act. Thus he shifted his attention to acting and would practice acting in front of mirror. Soon he became active in school theatre activities that groomed him in his histrionics. Recently while promoting his film he went to his school and confessed that the school played an important part in developing passion for acting and polishing his acting. Randeep Hooda turned violent after he was shifted to new school Since Randeep Hooda’s father was a doctor by profession, hence he aspired that his son, Randeep Hooda should also become a doctor. But young Hooda, was passionate about sports and had developed new found interest in acting. His father removed him from the Motilal Nehru School of Sports and admitted him in Delhi Public School, R. K. Puram in New Delhi so that he focused on subjects like science and maths and pursued Medicine. Hooda did not like the change and turned violent in protest. At the new school, he was quite violent and did a lot of mischief like beating his co-students, drinking, smoking, bunking classes and dating with many girl friends. In nut shell, he was literally the ‘bully’ in his school hence he was christened with the title of ‘Randeep Don Hooda’ at his school farewell. In Australia Randeep Hooda had to do petite jobs like washing cars When Randeep Hooda was 19 years he went to Melbourne city, Australia, in 1995 to acquire bachelor's degree in marketing and a master's degree in business management and human resource management. While staying in Melbourne, Hooda had to do many petite jobs to make his pocket money like he worked as taxi driver, waiter in restaurants, labor in Chinese restaurant and even washed cars! Hooda returned to Mumbai and got a job in British Airways but he kicked the job instead he joined amateur theatre in Delhi and to survive he took up modeling

unit Tandon, the Theatre Director. He was impressed by Hooda’s debonair personality and his English, which had a foreign accent as a result he asked Randeep Hooda to meet Mira Nair, Hollywood filmmaker, who was in search of a handsome youth for her film Monsoon Wedding. Since Randeep Hooda was not aware of Mira Nair therefore he was not excited much. He did not even take the dialogue script that Sunit Tandon had given him to perform at audition seriously. But when he was rehearsing for his English drama ‘To Teach His Own’, suddenly Mira Nair approached him and asked him to meet her at his office. Recalling his first encounter with Mira Nair, Randeep Hooda said, he was in a dilemma when he reached his office as he had lost his dialogue script on which he had to perform . When he mentioned this to Mira Nair she gave him a warm smile and asked him to flirt with her!! Though Mira Nair offered him the role in her film Monsoon Wedding, Hooda was not paid for the role. Nevertheless he was happy as he got the opportunity to meet his idol Nasseruddin Shah, his co-star in Monsoon Wedding. Randeep Hooda and his years with Naseeruddin Shah After Monsoon Wedding (2001), Randeep Hooda and Naseeruddin Shah came close. Shah overwhelmed by Hooda’s commitment for acting him invited him to join his ‘The Motley Theatre Group’. Hooda, who held Naseeruddin Shah in high esteem, was left astounded working with the actor in Monsoon Wedding. After the film he claimed, that seeing the work of the great actor like Nasseruddin, made him release he needed training in the craft .He packed his bags from Delhi and moved to Mumbai. How Randeep Hooda was discovered by Ram Gopal Verma Hooda shifted to Mumbai in 2001 and joined Naseeruddin Shah’s The Motley Theatre Group’ and began stage. However call it destiny, when Randeep Hooda did his first play Manto Ismat Hazir Hai staged in 2001, he was noticed by eminent filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma, seated in the theater. He immediately contacted Hooda and signed him for his upcoming film EK. Hooda recalls. He signed the contract restricting him to sign any films outside his banner which kind of put the actor in worry but his concern was resolved with Ram Gopal Verma appointing him in his film company for a monthly salary of Rs. 35,000/- Though the film Ek did not happen but Verma launched him in his other film, D (2005), the sequel to Varma's 2002 film Company. The film explored how D-Company (Infamous Don Dawood Ibrahim) operates his gang in Mumbai. How Ram Gopal Verma’s advice damaged Hooda’s career After Ram Gopal Verma’s D was a hit, Randeep Hooda was offered many good roles but Hooda declined most of the film boosting to charge Rs 1 crore! In this bargain he lost good films like Rang De Basanti and Rock On and this ruined his career as whichever film he did were all flops like Darna Zaroori Hai (2006), Risk (2007), Ru Ba Ru (2008) and Love Khichdi (2009). In an interview he later lamented his decision. He confessed, “I was advised by Ram Gopal Verma to charge more as after the film Company; Vivek Oberoi did the same.” After a string of flops, Hooda decided to quit Bollywood.! How Naseeruddin Shah helped to review Randeep Hooda’s flop career With repeated flops and no good films in offer, Hooda quit Bollwood in 2008 and decided to make career in horse riding. It was Naseeruddin Shah, who helped him to get membership at the Mahalakshmi Racecourse Club, Mumbai. Since school days Hooda had a passion for horses and horse riding. Reader will be surprised to know Hooda holds the distinction of winning gold and a silver at the National Equestrian Championships in 2014. While horse gave Hooda medals, horses also gave him his film career back because it was at Mahalakshmi Racecourse Club he met film director Milan Luthria, who offered him an important role in his film Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai in 2010. The movie proved a big hit and Hooda’s career took-off with hit films Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011), Jannat 2 (2012), Jism 2 (2012) and Murder 3 (2013), 2014Highway (2014), Kick (2014), Sultan (2016).