Gajraj Rao reflects on how Badhaai Ho was a life-changing moment, comparing it to moving from a 1BHK to a villa. He recalls his initial anxiety about the role and praises director Amit Sharma and co-star Neena Gupta’s energy and vision
Gajraj Rao and Tabu
The 2018 film Badhaai Ho, directed by Amit Sharma, was a turning point in the life of actor Gajraj Rao. To him, the film felt like offering a 5,000 sq ft villa to a person living in a 1 BHK flat. He says that he always wished to become a big actor gradually, but Badhaai Ho felt like a huge jump. Rao revealed that he was quite anxious about taking up the role and had asked the makers to rope in bigger actors. However, the makers were sure of Rao's casting.
Tabu was the original choice for Badhaai Ho?
In a conversation on Mid-day's Bombay Film Story, Gajraj Rao spoke about being anxious about playing the role of Jeetender Kaushik in the award-winning film. When asked if Tabu was originally supposed to play the role opposite him, he said, “Maybe Tabu was supposed to play that role.”
Why was Gajraj Rao not confident of Badhaai Ho?
However, for Rao, the biggest concern was not doing justice to the role. “My only concern was that after three days of shooting, he (Amit Sharma) shouldn’t say, ‘Oh man, I got into the wrong project.’ That feeling — it makes me anxious. I said, ‘Why don’t you do one thing — do a look test with Neena ji.’ He’s a very sharp director, very quick. Although he’s 4–5 years younger than me in age, in experience and talent, he’s 15 years ahead.”
The actor further said, “So he said, ‘Let me do a reading instead. I don’t need a look test. I’m sure of what I’m doing.’ I mean, it became clear to him. We did a reading, clicked some photos, and that day I felt, yes, maybe this will work out. It’s a big deal for me — it’s Neena ji.”
When it was pointed out that Neena Gupta is 10 years older than him, Rao said, “But mentally, in her outlook on life, she’s 20 years younger than me. She is very chill.”
Badhaai Ho won the National Award for Popular film, providing wholesome entertainment, and the Best Supporting Actress for Neena Gupta. The film also starred Ayushmann Khurrana, Sanya Malhotra, Surekha Sikri, Sheeba Chaddha, and more.
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