RGV’s Casting Twist in Tiger Shroff Case

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has compared the appearance of the alleged shooters involved in the firing at Tiger Shroff’s car with the casting of criminals in films.

In a post on X, he said the men would not even be considered for minor roles in a film featuring a villain’s gang. Verma added that real-life criminals often look different from their on-screen portrayals. Ram Gopal also referred to gangster Dawood Ibrahim while commenting on the difference between real-life criminals and their on-screen portrayals.

“The way the shooters of @iTIGERSHROFF looked like, in a film they wouldn’t be cast even as tea supplying boys in a villains den,” he wrote.

He went on to state that even if a film were made about India’s most feared gangster, a person resembling Dawood Ibrahim might not be chosen to portray him. “Real life casting director is very strange compared to reel life casting director,” Varma added, tagging casting director Mukesh Chhabra in his post.

Varma’s post also drew reactions from social media users, with some agreeing with his comparison between real-life criminals and their portrayal in films, while others offered their own takes on casting choices.

“Casting directors cast what they can sell, not what exists. Bollywood’s gangster is always in a suit and a beard, but the real ones look like your local cable guy,” one user commented.

Another user wrote, “You have been a film director for many years. It would be great if you yourself played a role — like that of Dawood Ibrahim.”

“You at least show some real life incidents in your films but most directors are cowards by nature,” said another.

The filmmaker had earlier reacted to the firing incident involving Tiger Shroff, describing it as an unusual case. Ram Gopal Varma suggested that the alleged motive appeared to be “vanity and pride” rather than extortion, contract killing or settling scores.

In a post on X, Varma wrote, “What happened with @iTIGERSHROFF is a never before seen phenomenon. Instead of killings relating to extortion, contract murders, settlements etc, for the first time ever, they seem to be wanting to kill for vanity and pride.”

For the unversed, the firing incident took place on October 19 outside a football club near Pushpa Narsee Park in Mumbai’s Juhu area. Tiger Shroff was unharmed, while his driver and an autorickshaw driver were injured in the firing. Three people suspected of involvement in the incident were later apprehended in Kota, Rajasthan.