‘Get Over Misconception’: Rajpal Yadav Hits Back At Sonu Sood For Offering Him Work Amid Cheque Bounce Case

Actor Rajpal Yadav, who is out on interim bail until March 18, has lashed out at actor Sonu Sood, who was among the first from the Bollywood fraternity to urge the industry to come together and help him. Sonu had also offered Rajpal a role in his upcoming film and wrote at the time that a “small signing amount, adjustable against future work, is not charity, but dignity”.

‘Get Over Misconception’

The 54-year-old actor, in an interview with Screen, said that people should get over the misconception that he needs to ask to get work. “Please get over the misconception that I need to keep asking for work. And there is no shame in asking for work,” he said, adding, “I live through my job. Cinema is my passion, and I work in such a way that I get four times more work. I work even on vacations. Work doesn’t find me; it has lived with me for the last 11 years.”

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Speaking about his upcoming projects, he said, “I am doing my first film this year with Priyanji, Bhoot Bangla. Then I have Welcome To The Jungle, where there are 27 actors, and then there is Haiwaan, where I have played a small but amazing role. I also have two web series and two other films, which I cannot talk about as of now.”

During a press conference after walking out of Tihar Jail, he claimed that he has projects lined up for the next seven years valued at over Rs 1,000 crore.

‘I’m Rs 1500 Crore Man’

He also stated that he is a “Rs 1500 crore man” and spoke about his professional track record. “I have been working for 26 years, and there have been at least 200 agreements, ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh, and even up to Rs 15 lakh. If I had disputes over agreements, why would I have only one case against me and no one else?”

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“I keep saying this repeatedly. People ask me where Rs 5 crore comes from and where it goes. I am a Rs 1500 crore man. I am saying that whoever is behind this film, I am ready to support them, but the intention behind the Rs 5 crore related to this film is wrong. It is wrong to trap people by taking money. Madhav and Mithilesh did not have the right intentions, so this is a dispute between three people. No one else knows about it,” he added.

Rajpal Yadav Hits Back At Priyadarshan

Rajpal Yadav also slammed filmmaker Priyadarshan, who had suggested that the actor’s legal troubles were linked to poor education.

“This is completely wrong. Priyanji doesn’t know me. I am a well-educated guy. I have been working from the age of 11 to 55. Even the biggest stalwarts land in trouble at some point, but that has nothing to do with their education. Had I been poorly educated, I wouldn’t have survived here for 25-30 years,” he said.

He further added, “I respect three directors a lot — Mr Ram Gopal Verma, David Dhawan, and Priyadarshan. I look up to them. I have done more than 50 films with just the three of them. Poor education doesn’t apply here because there is another intention. I am like Priyanji’s son. Whenever he asks, I would like to give an exam as an actor for a lifetime to him. But Priyanji or anyone from Bollywood doesn’t know the whole story, so any judgments from them don’t hold value.”

What Did Priyadarshan Say?

In an interview with Mid-Day, Priyadarshan said, “I have known Rajpal for over 20 years. I saw him for the first time in the 2000 film Jungle and was surprised by his performance. My first film with him was the 2006 film Malamaal Weekly, and after that, he has starred in most of my films.”

He added, “I told the producers of my next film, Jubilee Films, to pay Rajpal more than what he charges because of his situation. We want to save him. The producers have agreed. Rajpal plays the villain in my movie. I knew about his problem. That’s why I kept signing Rajpal for every film. I pushed him in ad films too. The poor guy made a blunder because of his poor education. Rajpal is a good soul.”