Dhurandhar star Ranveer Singh rejected Kabir Singh for ‘being too dark’; Sandeep Reddy Vanga approached him before Shahid Kapoor

Kabir Singh was initially offered to Ranveer Singh.

Ranveer Singh appears to have finally struck gold at the box office. After a stretch of films that failed to meet commercial expectations, his latest actioner Dhurandhar has emerged as a major success. The film has not only become the highest-grossing release of 2025 so far, but has also surpassed the lifetime collections of movies like Stree 2, Chhaava, Pathaan, and Pushpa 2. With its current momentum, Dhurandhar is now eyeing the record set by Shah Rukh Khan’s vigilante actioner Jawan. The success of Dhurandhar has significantly reshaped the narrative around Ranveer Singh’s career. It places him back among the frontrunners of the next generation of Hindi film superstars, alongside his immediate contemporary and frequent point of comparison, Ranbir Kapoor. Ranbir’s last release, Animal, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, also posted massive box-office numbers, further intensifying the long-running comparison between the two actors.

The Ranveer–Ranbir debate has been ongoing for over a decade. For much of the 2010s, Ranveer often appeared to be ahead, delivering several box-office hits while Ranbir struggled to maintain consistency. However, despite Ranveer’s impressive run during that period, he passed on a project that could have further cemented his commercial dominance, Kabir Singh. Released in 2019, Kabir Singh went on to be Shahid Kapoor’s biggest commercial success. Even years later, the film continues to be discussed for its impact and shaky politics. In 2023, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga revealed that the project had originally been offered to Ranveer Singh, who declined it.

In an interview with iDream Media, Vanga explained that after making his directorial debut with Arjun Reddy, which was a massive success, he decided to remake the film in Hindi due to the overwhelming interest from Bollywood. He also acknowledged the difficulty of remaking a widely watched film, describing the process as challenging. “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”

Vanga further added that after Ranveer declined the project, it went to Shahid Kapoor, an actor who, at the time, did not have a strong box-office track record. Despite concerns from industry insiders, Vanga remained confident in his casting choice. “After Ranveer passed, Shahid was approached. But people weren’t convinced,” Vanga said. “Shahid’s track record was a concern; none of his solo films had done Rs 100 crore then, his highest was Rs 65 crore. They used to say Rs 55 crore, Rs 65 crore is the kind of business Telugu movies do. ‘Why are you doing it with this guy? If it was Ranveer, the box office would be higher’. But I was always sure about Shahid, he’s a fantastic actor,” Vanga said.

Even till today, Kabir Singh continues to be the most successful outing of Shahid Kapoor.

Made on a modest budget of Rs 36 crore, Kabir Singh went on to earn approximately Rs 380 crore worldwide. Its success stands as clear evidence of the scale of opportunity Ranveer Singh may have missed the train by turning the film down. At the time, Ranveer was already enjoying an exceptional run at the box office. Aside from Befikre, which underperformed, he delivered a string of back-to-back blockbusters including Bajirao Mastani (Rs 184.3 crore), Padmaavat (Rs 302.15 crore), Simmba (Rs 240.3 crore), and Gully Boy (Rs 139.63 crore). Adding Kabir Singh to this list could have further strengthened his commercial standing, posed him miles ahead of not only Ranbir, but even other contemporaries.

Beyond numbers, the film also offered a complex, performance-driven role that continues to be part of popular culture. For an actor known for his intensity and range, it was a character that could have showcased his acting chops in a different light. In hindsight, passing on Kabir Singh remains one of the most significant “what ifs” of Ranveer Singh’s career.