New Delhi: Ankita Lokhande claims that when she first appeared in Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, Randeep Hooda “didn’t want” her. According to the actor, Randeep felt that she was “too pretty” to play Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s (Veer Savarkar’s) wife, Yamunabai Savarkar, in the upcoming film. Ankita, who placed among the top 5 finalists on Bigg Boss 17, will be embarking on her first assignment following the show.
Randeep, who is both starring in and directing the movie, received appreciation from Ankita Lokhande at a recent event to promote Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. She continued, “He told me, ‘I don’t think I want you in the film,” after stating in Marathi that he had done extensive research on her character. “I was like, why? He was like, ‘You are too pretty for the character (Yamunabai Savarkar)’. I was like, ‘Please don’t say that’.”
Ankita added, “He (Randeep) had done so much research, he was so sure about what he wanted in the film, he knew everything about what she (Yamunabai Savarkar) was like. She was the successful woman behind a successful man (Veer Savarkar).”
Swatantrya Veer Savarkar
Along with Utkarsh Naithani, Randeep Hooda directs and co-writes the movie. As a “compelling odyssey, bringing to life the legendary yet neglected tale of Swatantrya Veer Savarkar – a visionary, and a firebrand,” the movie’s directors describe it. Leading the Hindu Mahasabha, he was both an activist and a writer.
Zee Studios, Anand Pandit, Sandeep Singh, Randeep Hooda, and Yogesh Rahar are helming Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. Amit Sial is also in the movie with Randeep and Ankita. The Marathi and Hindi versions of Swatantra Veer Savarkar are slated to hit theatres on March 22.