Neeraj Madhav Reveals Why He Rejected a Role in SRK’s ‘Jawan’
Malayalam actor Neeraj Madhav, known for his work in films like ‘RDX’ and the series ‘The Family Man,’ recently opened up about why he turned down an opportunity to act in Shah Rukh Khan’s hit movie ‘Jawan.’ During an interview with Q Studio, the actor revealed that he was offered a small role in the film but declined it.
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"I was offered a minor role in ‘Jawan,’ but I had nothing significant to do in it, so I decided to turn it down," Neeraj said. Some people questioned his decision, arguing that even standing in a Shah Rukh Khan film would be worth it. However, the actor explained that he had no excitement about working in a different-language film at that time.
Didn’t Want to Work in Other-Language Films Without Preparation
Neeraj Madhav further shared that after gaining recognition from ‘The Family Man,’ he received multiple offers from various film industries, including Telugu cinema. However, he rejected those opportunities as well.
"I got offers from Telugu films, but I didn’t accept any of them because I hadn’t learned the language," he said. The actor believes that without fluency in the language, he wouldn’t be able to deliver his best performance.
Limited Roles for South Indian Actors in Bollywood
While discussing Bollywood’s treatment of South Indian actors, Neeraj stated that they usually get character artist roles rather than lead roles unless the story specifically revolves around a South Indian character.
"Some might see my decision as arrogance, but back then, I wasn’t keen on doing films in other languages. In Bollywood, South Indian actors are often given character artist roles instead of leading ones," he explained.
Mixed Response to ‘Jawan’ in Kerala
Despite Shah Rukh Khan’s massive fan following in Kerala, ‘Jawan’ received mixed reactions from Malayali audiences. Many viewers felt that the movie’s screenplay had flaws and that it was a blend of Vijay and Atlee’s previous films. However, the film was a massive blockbuster in Hindi and earned record-breaking collections at the box office.
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