Following his release from incarceration due to a cheque-bouncing case, veteran actor Rajpal Yadav expressed deep hurt over remarks made by one of his most frequent collaborators, director Priyadarshan. In an exclusive interview with the writer for ETimes, Yadav addressed the director’s claim that his legal woes stemmed from a “lack of education,” setting the record straight on his academic background.
Rajpal Yadav opens up on Priyadarshan’s remark
Responding to the suggestion that he landed in trouble because of a lack of formal schooling, Rajpal Yadav quickly clarified his credentials. He revealed that he is not only college-educated but also a proud graduate of the National School of Drama (NSD).“I respect Priyanji a lot, but I can’t understand how or why he made this statement,” Yadav said. “I have my degrees to prove my education. When I chose to become an actor, I didn’t carry my educational certificates on the sets. This is one profession where educational qualification doesn’t count. Priyanji and I have never discussed my educational qualifications. Why did he say such a thing?”
Rajpal Yadav is indebted to the “big three” directors
Despite the friction caused by the comment, Yadav reflected on his long-standing career and the three directors who shaped his journey: Ram Gopal Varma, David Dhawan, and Priyadarshan. Having worked on nearly 50 films with Dhawan and Priyadarshan combined, Yadav emphasized the trust he placed in them, often working without ever discussing money.Yadav shared, “There are three directors whom I am indebted to. Ram Gopal Varma who gave me my first break, and then David Dhawan and Priyadarshan. I’ve repeatedly worked with these two directors. I’ve unquestioningly done whatever they have asked me to. All put together I must have done 40-50 films with them. We’ve never discussed money.”When asked why a high-profile director like Priyadarshan didn’t bail him out of his financial crisis, Yadav was protective of the filmmaker’s privacy. “Dekhiye, yeh unka maamla nahin (That is not his concern),” he noted. “This matter involves just three people: the two complainants and I. All three of us are from my native place, Shahjahanpur. This matter goes back to the time when I lived in Shahjahanpur. It will be sorted soon, I am sure.”
Rajpal Yadav on lessons from the soil and the cell
Yadav shared a touching anecdote about his father, a farmer who valued integrity over easy success. His father had instructed his tutors to pass Rajpal only if he truly deserved it, preferring he remain a farmer otherwise.“He [my father] was an uneducated man, in the sense that he never went to school or college. He was a farmer and he told my tutor that he must pass me in the exams only if I deserve it. Otherwise my father said I’d be happy being a farmer. He was right. I am a farmer who turned into an actor,” Yadav remarked.Yadav added that while he is willing to show his certificates to Priyadarshan, he believes life is the greatest educator, saying, “I think life is the greatest educator. Not that I am lacking in formal education. I am willing to show Priyanji ,my certificates.”
Rajpal Yadav on looking ahead
The actor remains optimistic about clearing his debts and moving past his legal hurdles. He credits his time in prison for teaching him the virtue of patience.“The court’s decision is final. I will do what the court asks me to. As far as paying off the debt is concerned, it will happen sooner rather than later. What prison has taught me is to be patient. Don’t take anything, happiness or sorrow, too seriously,” he shared. Moving forward, Yadav says he wakes up every day as a student, eager to continue the learning process that formal education started.
Rajpal Yadav on the work front
Rajpal Yadav will be seen in Priyadarshan’s ‘Haiwaan’ with Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar. He will also be seen in ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ with Akshay Kumar and Disha Patani and in ‘Bhooth Bangla’ with Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan.
