Ranveer Singh turned down Kabir Singh for 'being too dark', reveals Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Dhurandhar star Ranveer Singh is back in the box office conversation after his latest action film emerged as a major commercial success in 2025. The film has crossed several benchmarks and currently stands among the highest grossing releases of the year. Its performance has reshaped discussions around Ranveer’s career momentum and market standing.

The renewed attention has also revived old comparisons with Ranbir Kapoor, a debate that has followed both actors for over a decade. While Ranveer dominated much of the 2010s commercially, Ranbir’s Animal later delivered massive numbers. The contrast gained fresh relevance after Dhurandhar’s success and the director link connecting both careers.

That link leads back to Kabir Singh, the 2019 Hindi remake of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Arjun Reddy. Years later, Vanga revealed that the project was first offered to Ranveer Singh. The actor eventually declined the role, citing concerns about the film’s dark tone at that point.

In an interview with iDream Media, Vanga explained that after Arjun Reddy’s success, he received multiple calls from Mumbai to remake it. He said, “I was continuously getting calls from Mumbai to do the remake. First, it was pitched to Ranveer Singh. I wanted to do it with him. But finally, he decided he will not do it, because it was too dark for him at that time”.

After Ranveer passed, the film went to Shahid Kapoor, whose solo box office record was modest then. Vanga admitted there were doubts but stayed firm. “After Ranveer passed, Shahid was approached. But people weren’t convinced,” he said, adding that Shahid’s biggest solo film had earned around Rs 65 crore before Kabir Singh.

Released on a budget of about Rs 36 crore, Kabir Singh went on to earn roughly Rs 380 crore worldwide. Looking back, the decision remains a major what if in Ranveer Singh’s career. With Dhurandhar now resetting his box office narrative, the episode highlights how timing and choices continue to shape Bollywood careers.

It also underlines how commercial success can quickly alter perception in the industry, turning past rejections into talking points rather than setbacks, especially when an actor finds form again at the ticket counters across the country today.