Abhishek Banerjee reveals why he was removed from Karan Johar's Dharma Productions, 'hume laga career barbaad'

Abhishek Banerjee, known for his recent performances in "Stree 2" and "Vedaa," opened up about a challenging moment in his career. Before gaining recognition as an actor, Abhishek worked as a casting director. In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, he shared a significant setback he faced while working on the casting for the 2012 film "Agneepath," produced by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.

During the interview, Abhishek revealed that he and his team were removed from the project because Karan Johar wasn't pleased with their casting choices. Abhishek mentioned, "Agneepath se humein nikaal diya tha. Agneepath ki casting hum log kar rahe the baad mein Jogi bhai aaye. Kyun nikal di kyuki woh casting unko pasand nahi aayi, Karan sir ko pasand nahi aayi. Hum log kuch zyada hi Anurag Kashyap-waale actors la rahe the jo unhe pasand nahi aya. Toh unhone bola, ‘Nikal jao humari film se!’ Hume laga career barbaad, khatam! Dharma se nikal gaye ab ho gaya! But thankfully bach gaye."

This candid admission highlights the challenges Abhishek faced in the early stages of his career. The film "Agneepath," a remake of the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer from 1990, was eventually cast by Jogi Mallang. Directed by Karan Malhotra, the movie starred Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Rishi Kapoor, and Sanjay Dutt, and was a box office success.

Despite this setback, Abhishek's career continued to flourish. Today, he is being praised for his role in "Stree 2," which has been performing exceptionally well globally, earning over ?125 crore. Abhishek's journey serves as an inspiration, proving that perseverance and talent can help overcome even the toughest obstacles.