Veteran actor Pradeep Rawat, who passed away on August 4, 2026, at the age of 74 after battling cancer, is being remembered for his remarkable contributions to Indian cinema. Along with his memorable performances as a screen villain, the actor also shared several fascinating stories from his career. One such anecdote involved how Aamir Khan eventually came on board for the Hindi remake of ‘Ghajini’.In an old interview, Pradeep Rawat reflected on his association with director A.R. Murugadoss. He also revealed that he played a key role in introducing the filmmaker to Aamir Khan.
How his journey with AR Murugadoss began
Recalling the early phase of his Telugu career, Pradeep Rawat said he had already established himself as a successful actor when he was approached for S.S. Rajamouli’s ‘Sye’. He explained that Rajamouli’s team discovered him after watching his work in ‘Lagaan’.“I was already successful in Telugu films back then. SS Rajamouli’s assistant saw me in Lagaan. They hired an agency to find me. I was asked to audition for Rajamouli’s second film, Sye. It was based on rugby, which is the toughest game in the world. Moreover, it was a college boy’s role. When I got selected, Rajamouli changed my character to a gunda, a mawali (a goon) to suit my age,” he told Siddharth Kannan during his conversation. While filming of ‘Sye’, Pradeep Rawat had his first interaction with A.R. Murugadoss, who quietly observed him before introducing himself. He recalled, “So, while I was shooting for the film in Hyderabad, I saw one person coming and peeping behind the door where I was getting my makeup done, and leaving without telling me anything. After he did it a couple of times, I asked my assistant, ‘Who is he?’ Then the person replied, ‘Sir, I am AR Murugadoss. I am a director.'”
Why he approached Aamir Khan
Pradeep Rawat explained that Murugadoss was keen to remake ‘Ghajini’ in Hindi after the Tamil version succeeded. According to the actor, he felt Aamir Khan would be the right choice because of his temperament and professionalism. He said, “I have known Aamir for 25 years. I have never seen him scream at anyone. He never uses foul language. That’s why I approached Aamir for the role.”The veteran actor added that he first invited Aamir to watch the Tamil version without revealing his real intention of casting him in the remake. Pradeep Rawat smiled as he remembered how Aamir initially avoided giving a clear answer before eventually agreeing to the project. He recalled, “Aamir is very clever though (smiles). He kept on dilly-dallying. But ultimately he did the film because he couldn’t say ‘no’ to me.” Released on December 25, 2008, Ghajini went on to become a historic success at the Indian box office. Directed by A.R. Murugadoss, the psychological action thriller became the highest-grossing Indian film of that year. It also created history by becoming the first Bollywood film to cross the ₹100 crore mark at the domestic box office.
Pradeep Rawat: Late star, whose career spanned over 150 films
Pradeep Rawat built a career spanning more than 150 films across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and other languages. He became one of Indian cinema’s most recognisable villains through films such as ‘Sarfarosh’, ‘Lagaan’, ‘Ghajini’ and many more. The actor passed away while undergoing treatment for cancer. He is survived by his wife, Kalyani Rawat, and their son, Vikramaditya.
