Last Updated:December 27, 2025, 13:49 IST

Imran Khan also revealed that Ajay Devgn was the first choice for the film.

Imran Khan said he felt lonely during shoot.

Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, Imran Khan’s 2013 Hindi-language political satire directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, is known for blending social commentary with dark humour and quirky storytelling. Set in rural Haryana, the film explores the clash between corporate greed and farmers’ rights against the backdrop of rapid industrialisation. Despite an interesting theme and cast, the film didn’t do well at the box office. But did you know, Ajay Devgn was the first choice for the lead and not Imran Khan?

Speaking on Unfiltered by Samdish, Imran said, “I did a film called Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. The idea of casting me as a Haryanvi villager is very left-field casting. It was only in the aftermath that I understood how the film came about. Ajay Devgn was originally attached to the film, and they had started preparations.”

“Somewhere during that stage, he backed out. Vishal was very excited about the project as it was a passion project for him. I was coming off a couple of hits like Delhi Belly and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, so he cast me not because I was the perfect actor for the part, but because with me attached, he could get a certain budget to make the film,” he said.

The actor said, “The approach to casting is all based on budget. It has nothing to do with the actor. Nobody cares whether you’re the right actor for the role. They’re just thinking, ‘How much money can I get with him?’ That’s how I ended up being cast in Matru. On my back, they could get an X amount of money. As an actor, you get excited thinking, ‘Vishal Bhardwaj is calling me.’ It feels daunting and challenging, but you think you’ll give it your best.”

Imran Khan said, “This is my extra psychoanalysis and perspective… I believe he cast me for a dishonest reason, not a truthful creative one. And once it was done, I think he felt a kind of creative dishonesty, that he had made a choice he didn’t fully believe in. I could feel that from the very first day of the shoot. He never said anything beyond ‘action’ and ‘cut’ to me. There was no bond. It was the most lonely film I have ever made. He left me with ‘jo karna hai karo’.”

Asked if he was given creative freedom, Imran said, “If you have the talent as a filmmaker, there must be ways to elevate even a weak actor’s performance. That’s why you’re a director, right? But I didn’t feel that here. The film felt like it was made around me in a way that avoided me – no close-ups, always in group shots or over-the-shoulder frames. My point is, if you didn’t want me, you shouldn’t have cast me.”

Despite its unique premise and strong performances, particularly by Pankaj Kapur and Shabana Azmi, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola received a mixed response upon release. While critics appreciated its bold themes and experimental tone, the film struggled to connect with a wider audience. Over time, however, it has been revisited as an ambitious attempt at political satire in mainstream Hindi cinema.