Hansal Mehta's Refusal to Meet Rajkummar Rao for 'Shahid': The Reason

Hansal Mehta is a renowned filmmaker known for his realistic and captivating movies. Some of his notable works include "Aligarh," "Omerta," and the critically acclaimed web series "Scam 1992." His recent series "Scoop" has also received praise from critics. In 2012, Mehta directed a film called "Shahid," which brought recognition to actor Rajkummar Rao. However, Mehta reveals that producers were initially hesitant to cast Rajkummar.

During an interview with Humans of Bombay, Hansal Mehta shared his experience, saying, "When I discovered Shahid Azmi's story, my life took a new direction. I found my voice again, and Rajkummar became my inspiration for finding that voice. We sent the script of 'Shahid' to many stars, but either they didn't want to work with me, or if they did, they wanted to change the script completely. I stood my ground and said, 'It's either this or nothing.'"

Meanwhile, Anurag Kashyap and Mukesh Chhabra encouraged Mehta to consider Rajkummar Rao, who was relatively new in the industry. Mehta initially had doubts, but eventually met Rajkummar. He recalls, "They kept insisting that I meet Rajkummar. I wondered what I would do with him since there was no financial support. The producer said, 'Anurag will send Rajkummar to you, but I won't fund it. I won't invest in Rajkummar.' Rajkummar had only done 'Love, Sex Aur Dhokha' at that time."

However, when Rajkummar Rao visited Mehta's office, the director immediately felt a connection. Mehta saw sincerity and a strong desire to prove himself in Rajkummar. He describes the meeting, saying, "He came in, and within half an hour, I felt something. I felt the right energy. I felt connected to him, and I saw honesty and hunger. He said he wanted to prove himself. Shahid was his dream role, and he recognized that."

Later on, Mehta convinced the producer by asking them to watch "Ragini MMS" and even created a poster with Rajkummar Rao as Shahid. The producer's response was, "The poster is cool, but who is this guy?"

"Shahid" was a biographical film about lawyer Shahid Azmi. The movie depicted Shahid's journey from considering terrorism to changing his life's path. After being arrested under TADA, Shahid completed his education while in prison. Once acquitted, he pursued a career in law and dedicated himself to representing people falsely accused of terrorism. Shahid became a successful lawyer and was working on the case of Faheem Ansari in the 26/11 attacks when he was tragically killed by gunmen at the age of 32. In 2012, the Supreme Court acquitted Ansari of all charges.