Gulshan Grover revealed that he was cast because the villain, Le Chiffre, within the Bond film Casino Royale. However, the news made it to the tabloids before a politician announcement was made and therefore the ‘upset’ producers decided to exchange him.
Casino Royale (2006) was the primary film to star Daniel Craig as Bond . He faced off with expert player and terror financier Le Chiffre, played by Mads Mikkelsen. The film was a serious box office success with a worldwide collection of $594.4 million, consistent with Forbes.
In an interview with Rediff, Gulshan said that he was asked about being subsequent Bond villain by Prince Charles’ cousin, when he was at Clarence House in London’s St James Palace for a gathering in 2005. “His Royal Highness’s cousin immediately wanted to understand if i used to be really doing subsequent Bond film,” he recalled.
Gulshan was finalised to play Le Chiffre but ended up excitedly telling one among his reporter friends about it and therefore the news was splashed within the Daily Mirror. “Unfortunately, it appeared before a proper announcement was made. That upset the producers, who replaced me with Mads Mikkelsen,” he said.
Last year, in an interview with Hindustan Times, Gulshan recalled his initial struggle in Bollywood. “I wont to stand outside people’s offices for hours; this is often after i used to be a trained actor. So, it’s sincerity and diligence that eventually pay off,” he said.
Gulshan, known for enjoying negative roles in films like Ram Lakhan, Avtaar, Hera Pheri and Gangster, also weighed in on the insider-outsider debate. “I’m a product of diligence , but insiders did help me. Shatrughan Sinha got me a task , Amitabh Bachchan recommended me for a movie,” he revealed, adding that while insiders ‘do have it easy’ initially , it’s the audience who decides to form someone a star.
