Actor Rajpal Yadav in an interaction with SCREEN, opened up about the support he has received from the film industry during his time in jail and responded to Sonu Sood’s recent comment about “offering him work”. He said, “Please get over the misconception that I need to keep asking for work. And there is no shame in asking for work. I live through my job, cinema is my passion, and I work in such a way that I get four times more work. I work even on vacations. Work doesn’t find me, it has lived with me for the last 11 years.” When HTCity contacted Sonu he responded, “Happy for him. I didn’t say he needs work. I said “Sign him and pay advances because he deserves it”.
Yadav was recently granted interim bail in a ₹9 crore debt and cheque bounce case. While the actor was lodged in Tihar Jail, several industry figures, including Sonu Sood and Salman Khan, reportedly stepped forward to offer financial support. Director Priyadarshan had also revealed that he asked the producers of his next film to pay Rajpal more than his usual fee and attributed the actor’s troubles to his “poor education”. The actor also slammed the filmmaker for his comment.
In an earlier interview Yadav had told HTCity, “I am grateful for the love and goodwill I have received. What stayed with me most during this phase was the faith of people: audiences, colleagues, and well-wishers. For someone like me, respect, time, and being heard matter more than anything else.” He added, ”I will continue to respect the court and comply with every direction. I have maintained the same stand from the beginning and will allow the legal process to take its course.
