Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has sparked a discussion online after comparing the appearance of the alleged shooters involved in the firing at Tiger Shroff’s car with how criminals are portrayed in films.
In a post on X, Varma remarked that the alleged shooters would not even be considered for minor roles as members of a villain’s gang in a movie. He said real-life criminals often look very different from their on-screen representations.
Drawing a comparison with gangster Dawood Ibrahim, Varma suggested that even a film about India’s most feared gangster might not cast someone who resembles him in real life. “The way the shooters of @iTIGERSHROFF looked like, in a film they wouldn’t be cast even as tea supplying boys in a villains den,” he wrote.
He added that the people who commit crimes in real life do not necessarily fit the image created by filmmakers. Calling real-life casting directors “very strange compared to reel life casting directors,” Varma tagged casting director Mukesh Chhabra in his post.
His remarks drew mixed reactions from social media users. While some agreed with his observation about the gap between real-life criminals and their cinematic portrayals, others shared their views on casting choices.
“Casting directors cast what they can sell, not what exists. Bollywood’s gangster is always in a suit and a beard, but the real ones look like your local cable guy,” one user commented.
Another user suggested that Varma himself should play Dawood Ibrahim in a film, writing, “You have been a film director for many years. It would be great if you yourself played a role like that of Dawood Ibrahim.”
A third user praised the filmmaker for depicting real-life incidents in his movies, saying, “You at least show some real life incidents in your films but most directors are cowards by nature.”
