Randeep Hooda has opened up about a long-standing grievance from his past — being excluded from the promotions of Imtiaz Ali’s 2014 film Highway. In a candid chat on journalist Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube podcast, the actor reflected on how his absence from the marketing campaign might have cost him significant career momentum at the time.
Randeep Hooda reflects on being sidelined during Highway promotions: ‘I didn’t understand Ranbir Kapoor’s role’
“Maine bhi voh dekha aur mujhe bhi samajh nahi aaya Ranbir Kapoor ka iss picture se kya lena dena hai,” Randeep said, referring to the curious presence of Ranbir Kapoor at the film’s promotional events. (“I saw it too, and I also didn’t understand what Ranbir Kapoor had to do with this film.”)
While Ranbir had no role in Highway, his presence during the film’s promotions drew attention. While the Kapoor boy and Alia Bhatt had started dating eventually, Hooda wasn’t sure if the actor’s involvement during the film, played any role in their love story. Randeep added thoughtfully, “Maybe that’s when their love story began, and if that moment brought them together, then I’m happy for them. I wish them all the best.”
The actor, who played the intense and pivotal role of Mahabir Bhati, shared that he was only called in for the promotional rounds towards the very end. “Last ke 1-2 din shayad traction nahi pakad rahi thi, toh mujhe leke gaye the. Shayad unki strategy shuru se thi ki Alia ke around karenge — waise bhi woh film female exploitation pe thi. Par jab film logon tak pohochhi, unko laga ki agar Mahabir Bhati nahi hota uss picture mein, toh picture waise nahi pakad paati.”
(“In the last 1–2 days, maybe it wasn’t gaining traction, so they brought me in. Maybe their strategy from the beginning was to center it around Alia — after all, the film was about female exploitation. But when it reached the audience, they felt that if Mahabir Bhati wasn’t in the film, it wouldn’t have landed the same way.”)
Randeep’s performance in Highway was widely praised, but his absence from the spotlight during its promotional phase has clearly left a mark. On the work front, the actor was recently seen in Jaat, where he played the menacing antagonist Ranatunga opposite Sunny Deol. As always, Randeep delivered a powerful performance, and fans continue to root for his deserving place in the mainstream limelight.
Also Read: Randeep Hooda thanks Sunny Deol and team Jaat amid praise for his role as Ranatunga
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