New Delhi. Emraan Hashmi and Mallika Sherawat became stars overnight with the film ‘Murder’ released in 2004. It was directed by Anurag Basu. The film was produced by Mukesh Bhatt. The film received mixed reviews, but ‘Murder’ was a superhit at the box office. Very few people would know that Rajneesh Duggal was the first choice for the film ‘Murder’, not Emraan Hashmi.
In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Rajneesh Duggal told why he turned down the offer of the film ‘Murder’. He said, ‘In March 2003, I won the title of Mr. India. On the third day after that, I was offered a film. The story of 10 days ago is that a contest was going on in a resort in Mumbai. One day Mahesh Bhatt sir came. He asked everyone’s name and also asked why you people have come here. Everyone was telling their name, when my turn came, I stood up and said that my name is Rajneesh Duggal. I am from Delhi and I have come here to win. I think that maybe he was impressed by this thing of mine.’