As Main Aur Charles completes a decade since its release, actor Randeep Hooda took to social media to share fascinating behind-the-scenes details about his preparation for portraying the infamous Charles Sobhraj, a performance still remembered for its psychological depth and magnetic charm.
Reflecting on the journey, Randeep shared how his transformation from playing Mahabir Bhati in Highway to embodying Charles marked a turning point in his acting approach, shifting his focus from merely portraying characters to finding their souls. “I just came off playing Mahabir Bhati in Highway. I felt I had started to find souls instead of characters. After finding the soul in Mahabir I was looking for Charles Sobhraj. This was my first movie with Prawal Raman, a director I admire so much! And can’t thank him enough for this opportunity.
So I asked Prawal to pin point the scene that screamed Charles’s soul. And there was none. So we played and we found him in that play. It was an absolute pleasure to be Charles. I finally did meet him, at release, in a Nepalese prison and he was very appreciative of how close I played it to him. Nepal police would not let us meet him and we had to do a lot of jugaad to facilitate that, and that too, from a distance. He made a gesture of a phone as we were being ushered away after the brief meeting. So I gifted him a book through the guards in which, on a particular page, I wrote my number and funnily enough he found it. Then we were in touch for many years after his prison, on video calls, audio calls and yeah… I got to know Charles after I became Charles.”
Randeep’s nuanced portrayal of Sobhraj, equal parts seductive, mysterious, and cerebral, remains one of his most iconic performances. As the film celebrates its 10-year anniversary, his recollection not only highlights the creative intensity behind the role but also reaffirms Randeep Hooda’s reputation as one of Indian cinema’s most immersive and method-driven actors.