Renowned rapper and music producer Badshah recently opened up about turning down notable acting roles in a candid interview with The Lallantop. He shared that although he had been offered several opportunities to act, he chose not to pursue them, citing his reservations about the characters.
During the interview, Badshah revealed that acclaimed filmmaker Karan Johar initially envisioned him in the lead role for a segment in the anthology film Lust Stories. However, the rapper was not keen on the part. “I was offered Vicky Kaushal’s role in Lust Stories,” Badshah disclosed. He recounted an amusing conversation with Johar, where the director proposed the role. “We were both judging a show together, and Karan sir said, ‘There’s this role of a guy who can’t satisfy his wife.’ I thought he was joking. I asked, ‘Do I look like someone who can’t satisfy his partner?’” Badshah said.
The rapper explained that Johar’s offer was serious and was brought up more than once. “We were judging Dil Hai Hindustani, and he mentioned it again during another shoot. Even Varun Dhawan congratulated me, thinking I had accepted the role and was going to be launched by Dharma Productions,” Badshah shared. Ultimately, Badshah turned down the role. “I didn’t know if I’d be able to do it. I was taking myself too seriously at that time,” he admitted.
In addition to the Lust Stories offer, Badshah revealed that he was also approached to play Diljit Dosanjh’s role in the 2019 comedy Good Newwz. Both films, Lust Stories and Good Newwz, feature actress Kiara Advani in leading roles. While Lust Stories premiered on Netflix in 2018, Good Newwz was released in theaters the following year.
Despite turning down these roles, Badshah eventually made his acting debut in the 2019 film Khandani Shafakhana, co-starring Sonakshi Sinha and Varun Sharma. His journey into acting, however, has remained selective, with his primary focus continuing to be on music.
Badshah’s reflections reveal his careful approach to stepping into the world of acting, choosing to wait for the right role before fully committing to the craft.
