Rahul Bhat On Vikram Not Doing Kennedy: 'Whenever I Meet Him, I Will Lie Down At His Feet'

Anurag Kashyap’s film ‘Kennedy’ starring Rahul Bhat was screened at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. The director had recently revealed that Rahul Bhat was not his first choice for the film.

New Delhi: Anurag Kashyap’s film ‘Kennedy’ starring Rahul Bhat was screened at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday. The film was selected for the Midnights Section of the festival. Rahul Bhat, Sunny Leone along with Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane were seen at the red carpet on Wednesday. 

Anurag Kashyap had recently revealed that Rahul Bhat was not his first choice for the film. He had written the film for actor Vikram, whose real name is Kennedy and thus the title of the film. In a conversation with Film Companion, Rahul was asked if he was happy that Vikram didn’t do the film. To which he replied, “Whenever I meet him, I will lie down at his feet and touch them and say, ‘Vikram, I am in love with you. Thank you Vikram.'” 

In an earlier conversation with Film Companion Anurag had said, "I actually had a specific actor in mind, when I wrote this film. Which is why the film is called Kennedy."  

When asked about the actor, Anurag had said, "Because that actor's nickname is Kennedy. The film was called Kennedy Project. It is Chiyaan Vikram. Chiyaan Vikram's real name is Kennedy. I reached out to him. He never responded. So then, I reached out to Rahul. I said 'Read it'. His reaction, his response was enthusiastic. And not like as an actor. And he was like, 'Yeh Kaun kar raha hai (Who is doing this role)?' I said, 'Karega (Will you do it)?' He said 'Me?' I said, 'Yes, but you will have to give it all'. And he was supposed to do some films. He gave eight months of his life to Kennedy." 

Soon after the interview, Vikram took to Twitter to clarify that he had called Kashyap after he came to know the filmmaker had tried to contact him for 'Kennedy' on his old number and email id.   

"Dear @anuragkashyap72... Just revisiting our conversation from over a year ago for the sake of our friends and well wishers on social media.  

"When I heard from another actor that you had tried to reach me for this film & that you felt I hadn’t responded to you, I called you myself immediately and explained that I hadn’t gotten any mail or msg from you as the mail id that you had contacted me on was no longer active and my number had changed almost 2 years before that, the 'Ponniyin Selvan’. As I said during that phone call, I’m very excited for your film Kennedy and even more so because it has my name. I wish you great times ahead. Lots of love. Chiyaan Vikram aka Kennedy," he added. 

 

Kashyap responded to the actor's comments on Twitter and wrote, “Absolutely right Boss sir. For the information of people, when he found from another actor that I was trying to reach to him he called me directly and we realised that he had a different WhatsApp number. He gave me his correct information to reach out and even showed interest in reading the script but by then we were all locked and a month away from shooting. He also graciously blessed us to use the name “Kennedy” for the film. What I stated in the interview was the story behind, how the film got to be called Kennedy. There is no need for any overreaction. And definitely I think neither Chiyaan sir or I am retiring without working together. FYI we go back to pre Sethu days.”    

 

‘Kennedy’ is a noirish thriller which follows the titular character working for a corrupt police force with scores to settle. The film features Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone.