Rrahul Sudhir On Why Did He Not Promote 'Bombay Stories' With Mouni Roy On Cannes: 'Very Unfortunate That I..'

Rrahul Sudhir, who rose to fame with shows such as Ishq Mein Marjawan, Tere Ishq Mein Ghayal and others, is all set to take a major leap in his career with Bombay Stories. The film recently grabbed attention after Mouni Roy promoted it at the Cannes Film Festival. However, while Mouni was seen actively representing the film, Rrahul, who plays a pivotal role in the project, was noticeably absent from the promotional activities.

Speaking about Bombay Stories and how he became a part of the film, Rrahul shared, "So basically, we have adapted, adapted sorry, not adopted, Manto's stories and the adapted screenplay has turned out to become a film. It's a story set around 60 to 70 years ago and the reason it's called Bombay and not Mumbai is because it was Bombay back in the day. It's the story of these workers who are basically, sex workers, basically prostitutes, and how their life pans out and their experiences with life. Now with Manto, the only trouble is it's not very easy with him. Somehow it becomes very, very, very challenging and very layered, so yeah, that was very exciting."

Recalling how the opportunity came his way, the actor said, "How did it happen for me? I think the casting director just called me and said, 'Paaji kya kar rahe ho?' and I said, 'Kuch bhi nahi, thoda bahut kaam chal raha hai, but aap batao.' He said, 'Ek film hai, karoge?' Maine kaha, 'Haan kar hi lenge obviously, aise toh mat bolo.' He told me, 'When I was looking at the part, I could only imagine your face.' Then he narrated the part to me and I was like, 'Really? You saw my face there?' And yeah, that was kind of interesting."

How did it happen for me? I think the casting director just called me and said, 'Paaji kya kar rahe ho?' and I said, 'Kuch bhi nahi, thoda bahut kaam chal raha hai, but aap batao.' He said, 'Ek film hai, karoge?' Maine kaha, 'Haan kar hi lenge obviously, aise toh mat bolo.' He told me, 'When I was looking at the part, I could only imagine your face.' Then he narrated the part to me and I was like, 'Really? You saw my face there?' And yeah, that was kind of interesting.

- Rrahul Sudhir

When asked about the character he portrays in the film, Rrahul offered a glimpse into his role and said, "So the guy is rich, very rich. He is basically what we technically call an NRI. He does not stay in India, stays somewhere abroad and is extremely exploratory. Matlab, the journey of wanting to know certain aspects about yourself, how they lead you to various plot lines in a Manto story, that's the character."

We also asked Rrahul about his absence from the film's promotional campaign, particularly at Cannes. Addressing the same, he explained, "Maine share kiya tha poster wagairah. If you're talking about Cannes, the film festival, I could not make it there because of certain commitments. It is very unfortunate that I was not there. I would have loved to be there. I was told that the film was jam packed, there was a housefull that day, and people were crying. There were a lot of good reviews, yes, good reviews, and people were moved. That's what the point is of all of this. And I remember my co actresses, the four leading ladies, there were such beautiful reviews about them and that is what you aspire to do. Come on, man."

Maine share kiya tha poster wagairah. If you're talking about Cannes, the film festival, I could not make it there because of certain commitments. It is very unfortunate that I was not there. I would have loved to be there. I was told that the film was jam packed, there was a housefull that day, and people were crying. There were a lot of good reviews, yes, good reviews, and people were moved. That's what the point is of all of this. And I remember my co actresses, the four leading ladies, there were such beautiful reviews about them and that is what you aspire to do. Come on, man.

- Rrahul Sudhir

Despite missing the Cannes appearance, Rrahul appears delighted with the response Bombay Stories has received so far. With a layered narrative inspired by Saadat Hasan Manto's stories and a character that promises emotional depth, the actor is looking forward to audiences experiencing the film.