On the verge of completing a decade in the industry and Randeep Hooda’s career has never looked better. With successes like Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster and Jannat 2 behind him and Jism 2 and Heroine looming large in front of him, the actor is in an upbeat mood. He talks to Mirror about his career and personal choices.

Actor on a drift 

The early part of my Bollywood career was confusing. I don’t know if it was my choice of films or luck. Some say my attitude went against me.
 
I have changed, but not really sobered as it’s believed. I’ve just started understanding that there is a way of dealing with people, especially in this business, where there are a lot of fragile egos to be handled.

Filmography

Playing Dawood was a dream role but after that, I wasn’t too happy with any of the offers that came my way. D took a year and a half. Risk took one year after which I did Karma Confession and Holi instead of Rang De Basanti.

Recent hits

Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai got me back on the map and so did Jannat 2 and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster. Success comes to you only when you are ready for it. I have a lot of people knocking at my door now. Jannat 2 may have lost out on its audience because of the abuse quotient but it gave me a lot.

Mahesh Bhatt showed the rushes of the film to Pooja, who was looking for someone to play Kabir’s character in Jism 2. At first, she was reluctant. Today, I am doing Raaz 3, Murder 3 and Karan Johar’s Ungli.

On Jism 2 co-star Sunny Leone

When I first heard of an adult movie star in Bigg Boss, I said, “Wow, we are moving up in the world!” When we started working together, I used to call her ‘Sergio Leone’, the director of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

When I first saw her in the newspapers, I said she is cute and wondered why she became an adult movie star. I really don’t know much about her as a person. All I can say is she is an affable person.

Homi Adajania and I

Everyone was surprised when I did a guest appearance in Homi’s film Cocktail. The fact is I met him when I had no work. He told me he needed a red herring to show that the girl has gone to another guy.

I think people didn’t find me out of place in the film. I think there is a need for an actor to do all kinds of cinema, but you’ve got to make a niche for yourself to be able to get cast in other films as well.

Sush is history

I am not in touch with Sushmita. It was a long time ago and nobody asks me about it either. About her observation on my temperament, what can I say? I am very angsty, which is good in a way. Personally, I feel angst can feed you when it comes to your acting. But I have also learned to withhold my anger.

Horsing around

I fell in love with horses after I watched Clint Eastwood’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I rode horses for almost four years when I was in school. After a long gap, it was a random conversation with Naseeruddin Shah that took me back to my passion.

Today, I have so many horses competing in races and have won some national medals as well. And it was at the race course I met Milan Luthria who offered me Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai. I was reluctant at first, but now I am glad I listened to him. Things started changing around for me after that film.