EXCLUSIVE: Anurag Kashyap finally reveals why he had to replace Ranveer Singh with Ranbir Kapoor in Bombay Velvet

Bombay Velvet starring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma didn’t fare well at the box office. However, it was one of the most expensive projects of 2015. But did you know Ranveer Singh was supposed to do Bombay Velvet and not Ranbir Kapoor? Yes, you read that right. During a candid chat in Bollywood Bubble, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was asked about replacing Ranveer Singh with Ranbir.

Anurag Kashyap on replacing Ranveer Singh

Anurag exclusively told us, “He really wanted to do Bombay Velvet and he remembered all the dialogues.”

When asked why it didn’t happen, Anurag said, “It took me a long time to understand that films jo hoti hai choti choti but hamari kam budget ki thi. The film got sold at a very high cost and the selling I was not part of. When the film was sold at a high cost to make the film it wasn’t sustainable. I have tried very hard, I tried so hard that I even postponed the shooting of Bombay Velvet and went on and shot Ugly. Hoping things would get right at that time because Ranveer also started shooting for Lootera at that time. I waited and then I went for advice and everyone told me I was wrong in chasing it.” Adding the cost of production was rising and hence, he had to shoot the movie.

When asked if he felt pressurised, Anurag said denied it and then continued, “It just seemed impossible to take off. A lot of people said… everyone today in the industry who’s who people who have worked with Ranveer also the ones advising me this will be a hurricane.” He was asked if he ever thought of doing a movie with him. Kashyap said, “I have tried to but I think I also have my own guilt. I feel like I did not… I sort of cut down my cost whatever. But I have tried that and there was a time also I reached out to him but he was dealing with his own issues. And I was in a desperate state so I said, ‘Listen, you deal with the things, I’ll move on.’”

Anurag Kashyap on praising Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

After the release of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Anurag complimented the movie. Reacting to the post, he said, “It was a killer film and I loved it.“

Sharing a poster of the movie, Anurag wrote, “Best @karanjohar film by far. He never leaves his world but he also does not hold back any punches. Also it’s the second KJo film that I bought the tickets for that too twice, and sending everyone that trusts me to go see. Some super writing, a top of form @ranveersingh, ever so brilliant @aliaabhatt and their sparkling chemistry. After a long time I loved the dialogue writing in mainstream Hindi film where people talk like they talk. Kudos to @ishita_moitra and @gogoroy.”

Watch the full interview here

Also read: EXCLUSIVE: Anurag Kashyap on being thrown out of Salman Khan’s Tere Naam: I had just asked him to grow chest hair