New Delhi, Sep 6 : Rana Daggubati, who has replaced Abhishek Bachchan in Ram Gopal Varma's ‘Department', says that it was Junior Bachchan who advised him to take up the role.
The 26-year-old, who shared screen space with Abhishek in ‘Dum Maaro Dum', says that his prior association with the actor made it comfortable for him to step into ‘Department' without feeling too conscious about it.
“Abhishek and I have been very close to each other since we did ‘Dum Maaro Dum' together. When Ramu offered me the film, I actually went and spoke to Abhishek, who told me to go for it. This is when I gave my go ahead to Ramu,” Daggubati said.
The actor who has been constantly responding to queries revolving around this topic says Abhishek dropped out of the film because of genuine date issues.
“Abhishek was originally doing ‘Department' but then he had genuine date issues. Currently he is involved in so many other films. He is completing ‘Players' and then starting ‘Bol Bachchan' as well.
“This is when I came in. But I am not replacing him. After all he is senior to me while I have just started,” said Daggubati.
Currently shooting in Mumbai for the film, Daggubati says that he is happy to be accepted in the industry post ‘Dum Maaro Dum'.
“It is a great feeling when you get accepted. For that I have Rohan (Sippy) to thank for. He is the one who felt that I could deliver goods and roped in a newcomer like me. Working with stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt is no small deal. I feel really fortunate,” said Daggubati.
The common factor in both films that Daggubati has done so far is cop, crime and drama. Though in ‘Dum Maaro Dum' he played a musician, his character does encounter cops. While in ‘Department' he is playing a cop himself.
“There is a difference. ‘Dum Maaro Dum' was an action thriller while ‘Department' is more of a dramatic tale. Ramu is shooting ‘Department' as a gritty affair and that too in real locations. His style of making a film is entirely different and I am extremely satisfied with the experience,” he said.
Daggubati is happy to be working with the man behind films like ‘Shiva' and ‘Satya', his personal favourite.
“I freak out whenever I see ‘Shiva'. His other films like ‘Satya' and ‘Company' have stayed on with me as well. No one else is making the kind of films that he does. His forte is the space of gangsters, police and politics - he can never go wrong there. Now being a part of something like ‘Department' which belongs to the same space is just terrific,” Daggubati said. PTI
