Kashyap’s Account: How Bombay Velvet's Casting Swap Shaped Two Careers

Director Anurag Kashyap has spoken openly about one of the most difficult calls in his filmmaking journey — the casting turnaround on his 2013 period drama Bombay Velvet. The film, featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, arrived with high ambition but struggled at the box office, its production blighted by delays and escalating expenses that left a mark on Kashyap's career.

The original choice: Ranveer Singh in the lead

Kashyap says his first instinct was to cast Ranveer Singh as Johnny Balraj. At the time Ranveer was a relative newcomer who had auditioned passionately for the role and impressed the director with his raw intensity.

Still, many in the industry were unconvinced about Ranveer’s viability as a bankable lead. Kashyap recalls he was surrounded by skepticism over the young actor’s future, with some dismissing his exuberant style.

Though Ranveer’s audition lingered with him, growing concerns about the film’s finances and marketability nudged Kashyap toward rethinking the choice.

Pressure from the industry and the move to Ranbir Kapoor

As the budget ballooned during pre-production, Kashyap found himself seeking counsel from established figures such as Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. Their advice was consistent: attach a bigger star to justify the rising costs and broaden the film’s commercial appeal.

Faced with that consensus, Kashyap eventually settled on Ranbir Kapoor. He admits it took him more than a year to reconcile the professional logic of the switch with his own creative instincts.

The aftermath: a setback for Kashyap and a breakthrough for Ranveer

Despite its scale and cast, Bombay Velvet failed to meet expectations and drew criticism along with poor box-office returns. The experience prompted a period of reflection for Kashyap and a slowdown in his directorial output.

In a twist of fate, Ranveer Singh’s star rose rapidly around the same period. With standout turns in films like Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat, he transformed into one of Bollywood’s most sought-after performers; traits once seen as excessive became his signature strengths.

Ranveer recently appeared in Singham Again and is slated to star in Dhurandhar later this year.

Kashyap’s candid recollection highlights how external pressures about star power and finance can redirect creative decisions in Bollywood. Though Bombay Velvet did not achieve its intended success, it remains a pivotal chapter in the professional stories of both the director and the actors involved — particularly in the meteoric rise of Ranveer Singh.