Randeep Hooda has revealed that he chose not to follow career advice given by Salman Khan, despite admitting it was “good advice.” The actor said that while both Salman and his father encouraged him to stick to heroic roles and build a consistent screen image, he consciously decided to take a different path to avoid becoming repetitive as a performer.Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Randeep reflected on his unconventional career choices and explained why he prioritised challenging roles over stardom.
‘Salman told me not to take roles where I didn’t look heroic’
Recalling the advice he received from Salman Khan, Randeep said, “His (Salman Khan’s) main advice was not to take on roles where I did not look heroic. It’s good advice… My father also says the same thing. Then, he said, ‘You should look the same and do the same kind of roles, which will help earn an image and become a star.'”However, the actor admitted he deliberately chose not to follow that path.“I did not follow that advice because I’ve always felt that repeatedly playing the same thing is boring. And that’s something I never wanted to do,” he said.
‘You cannot pinpoint me’
Randeep also spoke about why he considers it a compliment when people say he cannot be imitated.“That’s because you cannot pinpoint me. For every role, I speak in a different rhythm and intonation, and sometimes, my voice itself is different,” he explained.While acknowledging that having a recognisable screen persona can help an actor become a star, Randeep said it was never his primary goal.“I am not saying it’s not a great thing. But how do you stay fresh over the years? Would you start sleepwalking through your roles? Would the gym become the only place where you practice? Hence, I didn’t follow his advice. However, you never know what lies in the future,” he added.
Randeep and Salman have shared screen space three times
Despite choosing a different career path, Randeep Hooda and Salman Khan have worked together in three films—Kick (2014), directed by Sajid Nadiadwala, Sultan (2016), directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, and Radhe (2021), directed by Prabhu Deva.While Kick and Sultan emerged as major box-office successes, Radhe received a mixed-to-negative response from critics and audiences.
