Randeep Hooda Recalls Being Depressed After Battle Of Saragarhi Was Shelved: 'I Would Lock My Room So That...'

Akshay Kumar’s 2019 film Kesari became a huge hit, liked by critics and audiences alike. However, for Randeep Hooda, the release of the film brought along a battle with depression. Randeep was all set to essay the role of Ishar Singh in the film Battle of Saragarhi, helmed by Rajkumar Santoshi. However, after three years of intensely working on the film, it was shelved within 20 days of filming due to Kesari’s success, since both films were based on the same subject.

In a recent interview with Mashable India, Randeep said that he felt cheated when the film didn’t release and it took a toll on his mental health. He said, “Mere parents to mujhe akela hi nahi chorte the. Fir main unse bachne ke lie room badh kar ke sone laga ki koi mera shubh chintak meri daadhi na kaat de (My parents won’t leave me. So, I started locking my room before sleep so that no one would cut my beard).”

The actor added, “I went through big big long stage of depression.” He revealed that since playing Ishar Singh required him to maintain a certain look, he had rejected several films in three years. Randeep said that he almost rejected his Hollywood project Extraction with Chris Hemsworth for Battle of Saragarhi since the role required him to cut his beard. However, in hindsight, Randeep said he felt happy that he did the film since he was cheated with Battle of Saragarhi.

In an earlier interview with Mumbai Mirror, Randeep Hooda revealed that he hadn’t seen Kesari and the film didn’t excite him much. Speaking about Battle of Saragarhi, Randeep had mentioned in the interview that he went through intense training to play a Sikh soldier as accurately as he could. This not only involved learning different forms of martial arts but also learning about Sikhism and its traditions.

Randeep had mentioned that while getting into character to play Ishar Singh, he learnt about the values of Sikhism which helped him become a better person. Even though his historical film got shelved, the actor will soon be seen playing another major figure in history. He will soon be seen in the biopic titled Swatantra Veer Savarkar, slated to be released in 2024.