Shreyas Talpade: Unknowingly turned down Jagdish Tyagi’s role in Jolly LLB

Shreyas Talpade revealed how he loved the film Jolly LLB, but was shocked to know he unknowingly turned the film down

Actor Shreyas Talpade has had a career filled with memorable performances across theatre, television, Marathi cinema and Bollywood. While he has no regrets about the choices he has made, in a recent chat Shreyas revealed how he was offered Arshad Warsi’s role in Jolly LLB which he ‘unknowingly’ denied.

Shreyas Talpade and Arshad Warsi

Recalling the event, the 49-year-old, says, “I remember meeting director Subhash [Kapoor] Ji and he narrated me a story. At that time, I was tied up with other commitments, so things didn’t move ahead. A few years later when Jolly LLB (2013) released, I watched it and immediately called him to congratulate him.” He further adds, “I told him, ‘Sir, what a film, lovely film, I simply loved it, great work.’ And he [Subhash sir] just laughed and said, ‘don’t you remember? I had come to you with this film.’ I said, no sir, I remember meeting you, but this was not the film. He said, ‘Of course, it was Jolly. I changed a few things, but essentially this was the story I brought to you.’”

The actor who was last seen in Emergency, Bagchi 4 and Housefull 5 (all of which released this year), shares how shocked he was. “I was shocked when he told me the who thing. I told him, ‘Please tell me this was not the same film.’ It unfortunately was, I never knew I was missing out on such an opportunity,” shares Shreyas, adding, that the revelation left him momentarily stunned, but he holds no bitterness. “Arshad [Warsi] did a fantastic job with it, he played the role of Jagdish Tyagi brilliantly. Sometimes that’s how things are meant to be. I was tied up with other projects, and I missed the bus on a project which has managed to win so many hearts but who could have predicted it back then,” says Shreyas, adding, “It’s part and parcel of the journey. There is always a risk when you say no for a project as one can’t predict the box office or audience response.”