Mumbai: Bollywood actor Rajat Bedi recently made a comeback with Aryan Khan’s directorial debut ‘The Bads Of Bollywood’ after a gap of nearly two decades.
However, Rajat was apparently supposed to make his comeback with the Salman Khan-starrer ‘Radhe’ in 2021.
In a recent interview with PTI, Rajat recalled how Salman got him removed from the film, while promising a grand comeback, and left him heartbroken.
Rajat said in the resurfaced interview: “Radhe main maine bilkul offer accept kiya. Mujhe Mukesh Chhabra ke office se phone aaya ki aap select ho gaye ho Radhe ke liye. Main bada khushi khushi jo unke (the film’s) writer hain, unko bhi mila. Voh bhi bade khush the… Radhe se mujhe laga bohot badhiya comeback vehicle mil jayega. (I had accepted the role offered to me in Radhe. I got a call from Mukesh Chhabra’s office saying that I have been selected for the film. I even met the film’s writer happily. The writer was also happy…I thought it will be a good chance to make a comeback with Radhe.)”
He added, “Bohot badhiya project hai, aur specially, bhai (Salman Khan) ke saath kaam karna toh sabki iccha hai… Salman bhai ke saath toh humaare paarivarik rishte…(It was a very good project and everyone wants to work with Salman Khan. I have very good relations with Salman and his family…)”
Explaining how his father and grandfather were close to Salim Khan and his family, Rajat said, “Unke saath kaam karne ka ek mauka mil jaye, voh hi bohot hai mere liye, (I will be overjoyed to work with Salman),” he said.
However, Salman had some other plans.
“Bhai ne mujhe bulaya… jab bhai ko pata laga ki Rajat voh role karne wala hai, tab bhai ne mujhe kaha, ‘Rajat, tu wait kar thoda sa; I want to give you a comeback vehicle which will be much better than Radhe.’ Jab bhai ne mujhe bola toh main chup reh gaya… bola ki, ‘Rajat, teri height, body aur personality are very good; you’ve maintained yourself very well, you wait, I’m going to give you a big comeback.’ Bhai ko kaun mana kar sakta hai? (Salman called me….when Salman learnt that I am doing that role, he said “Rajat, you need to wait for a while, I want to give you a better comeback. I was quiet at that time… he said, ‘Rajat, you have a good height, physique and personality, you’ve maintained yourself very well, you wait, I’m going to give you a big comeback’ Now, who can say no to salman?)” Rajat said.
Recalling his heartbreak over removal from ‘Radhe’, Rajat said: “For Radhe, they called me for a role through Prabhu Deva sir at Mehboob Studio. Salman bhai was there, and he was like, ‘You’re not going to do this one as it is not an appropriate role for you.’ I was heartbroken. I was like, ‘Sir, I’m getting a film to do with you and you’re saying, ‘I’ll give you something better, wait.’ I said, ‘Okay, I’m waiting to work with bhai again.'”