“What If He Gets Angry?”: Why Irrfan Khan Rejected a Film with Sunny Deol Without a Second Thought
May 30,2026
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Late actor Irrfan Khan may no longer be with us, but his legacy continues to shine brightly in Indian cinema. Known for his unmatched acting skills, intense screen presence, and flawless dialogue delivery, Irrfan earned immense respect not only from audiences but also from fellow actors in the film industry. In fact, many actors reportedly felt nervous about sharing screen space with him, fearing their performances might get overshadowed.
However, there was one actor whom Irrfan Khan himself felt intimidated to work with — Bollywood action superstar Sunny Deol.
A throwback revelation by filmmaker Neeraj Pathak has now resurfaced, revealing why Irrfan initially turned down the film Right Yaaa Wrong after hearing Sunny Deol’s name.
Why Was Irrfan Khan Hesitant to Work with Sunny Deol?
In an old interview with Bollywood Hungama, director Neeraj Pathak shared that he had approached Irrfan Khan for an important role opposite Sunny Deol in the 2010 thriller Right Yaaa Wrong. Surprisingly, Irrfan immediately rejected the offer due to his insecurities regarding Sunny’s larger-than-life image.
According to Pathak, Sunny Deol loved the film’s script and specifically suggested casting talented actors like K. K. Menon and Irrfan Khan alongside him.
Neeraj Pathak also revealed that he had known Irrfan since their Doordarshan days while working on the television show Anugoonj. The filmmaker had even promised Irrfan that he would one day cast him as a lead actor in one of his films.
Despite liking the story, Irrfan reportedly remained doubtful about how his role would appear next to Sunny Deol’s powerful screen presence.
“If He Shouts, My Role Will Look Weak”
Recalling Irrfan Khan’s exact words, Neeraj Pathak said:
“He told me, ‘You are Sunny Deol’s close friend and favorite too. He is such a huge star. If he suddenly shouts loudly in a scene, my role will automatically look weak.’”
The filmmaker added that Irrfan feared the film would ultimately revolve entirely around Sunny Deol’s character because of his superstar image.
However, Neeraj tried convincing him by explaining that Sunny Deol is among the most secure actors in the industry and never interferes with co-stars’ performances or screen space.
Still, Irrfan remained unconvinced for quite some time.
Irrfan Khan Changed His Mind After Learning About Replacement
After several failed attempts to convince him, the makers reportedly began considering K. K. Menon for the role instead.
But when Irrfan Khan learned about the possible replacement, he called the team and requested one final narration of the script.
Neeraj Pathak later visited the sets of Krazzy 4 and narrated the story once again. This time, Irrfan was completely blown away by the screenplay.
According to the director, Irrfan immediately reacted by saying:
“The script is absolutely killer!”
Without making any further comparisons about stardom or screen image, Irrfan Khan finally agreed to join the project.
About Right Yaaa Wrong
Right Yaaa Wrong was released in 2010 and featured Sunny Deol, Irrfan Khan, and Konkona Sen Sharma in key roles. The psychological thriller explored themes of justice, morality, and revenge, with both Sunny and Irrfan receiving praise for their performances.
Even years later, this behind-the-scenes story remains one of the most fascinating anecdotes from Bollywood, highlighting how even legendary performers like Irrfan Khan could occasionally feel vulnerable when sharing the screen with larger-than-life stars.
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