Vikram was the first choice for Mani Ratnam’s 1995 film, Bombay. However, the actor failed to crack the audition for the film.
Mani Ratnam’s 1995 film Bombay is still remembered for the powerful story-telling and AR Rahman’s haunting music. Starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, the movie revolves around how an interfaith couple ends up facing the wrath of communal riots when they move to Bombay (Mumbai).
Sometime back, Vikram in one of his interviews, had revealed that he was the first choice for Bombay before the film went to Arvind Swamy. In his recent chat with Pinkvilla, the Thangalaan actor spilled the beans on why he missed out on the opportunity of working on this Mani Ratnam directorial when he was relatively a newcomer.
Vikram revealed that Mani Ratnam had chosen him for the role of journalist Shekhar Narayanan Pillai in Bombay. He had even done two photoshoots- one in the morning and another with Manisha Koirala in the evening, for this film.
“I was not very good with the auditions. It was a still camera and there was no video camera. And when it didn’t fall through – It didn’t happen because I goofed up, of course. Almost for the next two months, I used to wake up in the morning and I will break down. It was that bad. Because my dream to work with him was so bad. So, when he again approached me – what more I can ask for!! Every minute and second, I work with him – in every shot – I realised why I wanted to work with him. And when I see myself on screen, I realised that he has made me do things that I never thought I would do,” the National Award-winning actor shared with the portal.
While Vikram failed to bagged Bombay, him and Mani Ratnam later went on to teamed up for Raavanan in 2010. Their next outing together, Ponniyin Selvan 1 released last year. The second instalment of this historical drama (Ponniyin Selvan 2) is currently running in theatres.
