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No Emraan Hashmi as Mehmood, no Ranbir Kapoor in Dhoom 4 - times when actors officially denied their casting

There have been back-to-back denials by actors in the recent times about their upcoming projects. Here is a round-up.

Updated on: Aug 11, 2026, 14:57:24 IST
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Being a public figure and speculation about one's professional (and personal) choices go hand in hand. Whether your favorite actor is starring in a particular film or not, too creates headlines. In the recent past, instead of letting such rumors die a natural death, actors made it a point to come on record and clarify things themselves. Here is a round up:

Ranbir Kapoor, Emraan Hashmi
Ranbir Kapoor, Emraan Hashmi

Emraan Hashmi not playing Mehmood

Emraan Hashmi
Emraan Hashmi

The RD Burman biopic, said to be directed by Neeraj Pandey, has seen a flurry of activity around it every few days. After the speculation that Akshay Kumar will play the role of his father-in-law, late legend Rajesh Khanna, came another news: Emraan Hashmi allegedly coming on board to step into the shoes of the late Mehmood. However, Emraan rubbished all such claims when he took to X on August 11, “Just to clarify, the reports about me playing Mehmood saab in a biopic are untrue. I haven’t been approached for the film, nor am I doing it.”

Ranbir Kapoor not doing Dhoom 4

Ranbir Kapoor
Ranbir Kapoor

Its been 13 years since the last Dhoom installment, starring Aamir Khan, released. Who would step into the crucial antagonist role has been discussed widely. At one point, even Shah Rukh Khan was thought to be in talks. Ranbir Kapoor's name was the more recent one. However, the actor spilled the beans while promoting Ramayana at the San Diego Comic Con in July this year. He told the media when asked about him doing Dhoom 4, “No, right now I am working on Ramayana and another film called Love & War, which is directed by Mr Sanjay Bhansali. That should be out on January 24 next year.” The film itself is yet to be announced officially.

Farhan Akhtar not a part of Lalkaar

Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar

There were whispers about actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar coming on board Aamir Khan's next sports-drama titled Lalkaar. However, when asked about it by Mid Day recently, he quipped, “How do I exit a project when I had never even entered it officially?”

Vikrant Massey not doing Ramayana

Vikrant Massey
Vikrant Massey

Multiple reports earlier this year began claiming that actor Vikrant Massey has been replaced by Raghav Juyal in Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming epic Ramayana. However, Vikrant took to Instagram and wrote in a soon-deleted Story, “OK. To put things to rest, I was never a part of this movie. Am not, never was… Nonetheless, wishing everyone on Ramayana all the very best. Will surely buy a ticket and watch it in cinemas.”

  • Rishabh Suri
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Rishabh Suri

    Rishabh Suri is an Assistant Editor, film critic, and professional overthinker of plot points. He writes for HT City, keeping pace with an industry where news cycles expire long before the popcorn gets cold. He completed his graduation in English Honours from Kirori Mal College, followed by a Master’s degree in English Literature-effectively training his brain to over-analyse classic texts before applying those exact same skills to 3-hour Bollywood blockbusters. He got into the profession when he had barely graduated from college and has been at HT ever since. At HT, Rishabh reviews films with a simple rule: skip the dense academic jargon and get straight to the point. Beyond reviews, as Assistant Editor, he helps navigate the broader circus of showbiz, tracking everything from OTT shifts to sudden box office panics. In a beat driven by loud PR machinery and carefully scripted answers, Rishabh prefers cutting through the noise to focus on how stories get made and why trends shift. When he isn’t writing against a deadline, he is usually sitting in a dark theater, compulsively memorising dialogues. For Rishabh, analysing movies isn't just a day job- it’s a habit he couldn't turn off even if he tried.Read More