Rajpal Yadav on how Shool and Naurangilal changed his career.
Rajpal Yadav recalls how a minor role in Shool turned him into a crowd favourite, thanks to his TV fame as Naurangilal. The crew’s attitude towards him shifted instantly.
Actor Rajpal Yadav may be known today as one of Bollywood’s finest comedians, but back when he was still trying to make a mark in the industry, an unexpected incident during the shoot of the film ‘Shool’ changed the way he was perceived. Rajpal, who was then an unknown face in the world of films, had already starred in the television show Mungeri Ke Bhai Naurangilal. However, he had no idea that the show had garnered such a following, especially in the interiors of North India, until an incident on the set of ‘Shool’ brought it to his attention.
In a conversation with filmmaker Ashoke Pandit on his YouTube channel, Rajpal recounted how he landed a small role in ‘Shool’ after being recommended by Anurag Kashyap, who mentioned that Ram Gopal Varma was producing the film for his assistant, E Niwas. Rajpal was cast as a coolie in a minor scene, and he was sent to Bihar for the shoot. “The director told me very seriously, ‘Speak properly in front of Manoj Bajpayee.’ And I’m thinking, ‘But I know him’,” Rajpal recalled.
As soon as Rajpal arrived on the set in Motihari, he was met with an unexpected surprise. The local crowd, gathered to watch the shoot, began screaming, “Arey Nauranghiya bhi hai!” Initially confused, Rajpal soon realised that they were cheering for him, thanks to his role as Naurangilal in the TV show. Even the crew was taken aback by the reaction. Rajpal fondly remembered, “One of RGV’s cousins came over and told everyone that the crowd went mad because someone named Nauranghiya was there. Manoj Bajpayee pointed at me and said, ‘But that’s him!’”
This unexpected recognition led to Rajpal being treated differently on set. He recalled how he arrived in a shared vehicle but left in a private car, just like the film’s stars, Manoj Bajpayee and Raveena Tandon. Rajpal didn’t stop there; he also took the opportunity to turn his three-line role into a more significant part by improvising with Manoj, which was encouraged by Anurag Kashyap. “In the end, the three-line scene became a 13-line scene,” Rajpal said.
