Tejaswini Kolhapure recently revisited an important chapter of her career, revealing why she declined filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s critically acclaimed 2009 political drama Gulaal. Speaking on Siddharth Kannan’s podcast, the actress shared that while Kashyap wanted her to be part of the film, she was uncomfortable with a scene that required her character to appear nude on screen.
Tejaswini Kolhapure reveals why she turned down Anurag Kashyap’s Gulaal: “I won’t be naked on screen”
Recalling the conversation, Tejaswini said, “Anurag and I were talking and he gave me this script and said tu yeh padh le. I want you to be a part of this film. Main ne kaha ismein toh ladki ka kuch hai hi nahi. What happens in this film is that she has to be naked. So Anurag said yes, you have to be naked. I was like, are you mad, how can I be naked? This is Hindi cinema. Mujhe ghar se nikaal denge if I do something like this.”
She added that Kashyap later offered her another role in the film, but she did not find it substantial. After watching Gulaal, she realised the character eventually played by model Jesse Randhawa was the role she had wanted. “That was the meatier part; I wanted to do that part but he had this prerequisite. But when Jassi did it, she wore a bodysuit. So I went to him and told him I could have worn it. Why didn’t you cast me?” she recalled.
Despite missing out on Gulaal, Tejaswini and Anurag Kashyap eventually collaborated on the 2013 psychological thriller Ugly. She revealed that the filmmaker cast her after asking about her state of mind, saying it perfectly matched the emotionally complex character. The actress also recalled the film’s delayed release due to Kashyap’s disagreement over the mandatory smoking disclaimer, although it eventually reached theatres and received critical appreciation.
Reflecting on the experience, Tejaswini said that being nominated in the Supporting Actress category for Ugly was a significant milestone in her acting career. The actress, who was originally set to debut with Kashyap’s unreleased film Paanch, has also appeared in films such as Raavan and Daadi Ki Shaadi, while continuing her work in theatre and independent cinema.
More Pages: Gulaal Box Office Collection , Gulaal Movie Review
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