Ekta Kapoor-Randeep Hooda: A cold war brewing?

All is not well between Randeep Hooda and the Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (OUATIM) team. Proof of this is that not one person from the  film which  has lately brought Randeep back  into the limelight was invited  to his birthday bash at director Tigmanshu Dhulia’s office in suburban Mumbai, least of all the OUATIM producer Ekta Kapoor with whom Hooda had ‘creative differences’ throughout the making of the film.

A member of the film’s  crew says, “For reasons unknown to us, Ekta and Randeep never got along. While she was comfortable with  the other actors, Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangna Ranaut and Prachi Desai, Randeep was isolated. He was not even part of the publicity although he was clearly one  of the three principal characters. Randeep had to finally do his own marketing and publicity.”

When confronted with rumours of a rift with his tycoon-producer, Randeep is evasive. “We’ve all moved on.  Yeah, I didn’t invited  anyone from the OUATIM team to  my birthday  bash. It was meant to  be for close friends  and hosted by Tigmanshu who’s also directing me in Bhiwandi.”

He adds, “Since there is no woman I fancy at the moment I  invited my  best friend Sandeep  to  bring in  my birthday. We go  back a  long way. I’ve realised this  industry does  not encourage any lasting relationships. Kaam karo aur ghar jao. I’d rather spend my free time with those  who matter.”