Randeep Hooda's haunting encounter: Felt Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's presence on set

Randeep Hooda's directorial debut, "Swantantrya Veer Savarkar," hit theaters this Friday, showcasing the actor's multifaceted talents. As the film delves into the life of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Hooda revealed some spine-chilling encounters during the shoot, particularly at the historic Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

In a recent podcast interview with Ranveer Allahbadia, Hooda shared his surreal experiences on set, claiming to have felt Savarkar's guiding presence throughout filming. Recalling moments of seeing shadows reminiscent of the legendary freedom fighter, Hooda's immersion into the role reached haunting levels. Randeep said, " the actor shared, “I started feeling like Savarkar was the director himself.” When asked if ever felt Savarkar’s presence on set, he responded, “Yes, in every frame. There were times when I really felt that. I used to feel sometimes, while working, I used to see a shadow, of myself sometimes, and I used to think, ‘Wow, that looks like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’.”

The challenges of securing permissions to shoot at the Cellular Jail added to the film's authenticity, with Hooda describing the experience of being locked inside Savarkar's cell as harrowing. He shared that that it was a ‘difficult task’ to get permission from government ministeries to shoot there and the film wouldn’t have been made without that location. “I wanted to spend some time alone in Savarkar’s cell, so I asked to be locked inside it. I was okay for a while, but then, I felt the walls crashing down on me. I started screaming for help, but my voice wouldn’t travel. I became claustrophobic, I began to lose my breath."

Spending nights at the jail further intensified Hooda's connection to Savarkar's legacy, as he described the eerie silence and the lingering sense of past lives that permeated the surroundings. Adding further he said, " There would be no breeze. But the location was never shut down completely. They would have light and sound shows there at night. I could only sense that there used to be people here once, and now they aren’t. Sometimes, in the wings… But there were so many people, so you can’t tell… But nobody would wander too far.”

While "Swantantrya Veer Savarkar" has faced criticism for its perceived political leanings, it has garnered praise for its stellar performances, particularly from Hooda himself. Joining him on screen are Ankita Lokhande as Yamunabai Savarkar and Amit Sial as Ganesh Damodar Savarkar, adding depth to the narrative.