I have discovered a deep love for writing, says Randeep Hooda

Randeep Hooda reveals his growing passion for writing, working on short stories inspired by Mumbai's theatre of survival. Alongside, the actor gears up for major releases, including the American action film Matchbox and the war drama Operation Khukri.

Mumbai: Actor-filmmaker Randeep Hooda shared that while acting remains his first love, writing has emerged as the most rewarding part of his creative process.

Randeep shared, “Over the years, I have discovered a deep love for writing. It has become the best part of any creative process for me. When I act, I step into stories crafted by others, but writing allows me to shape stories that I have lived, seen, or imagined.”

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Randeep is currently working on a series of short stories based on Versova and Aaram Nagar in Andheri, Mumbai. These stories touch upon the life of a roadside bansuri wala selling flutes every Sunday, the journey of struggling actors in the city, the harsh realities of the casting couch, and many other stories.

The actor-filmmaker added: “Versova and Aaram Nagar have been such silent theatres of human ambition and survival, and I wanted to bring these stories to life.”

He shared: “There’s this bansuri wala I see every Sunday, standing at the same corner, playing melodies that often get drowned in the city’s noise. Behind him, there’s a world of aspiring actors, daily struggles, small triumphs, and heartbreaks.”

“Writing these stories gives me a sense of purpose and a way to reflect on the layers of life around us.” Talking about his work on screen, he will next be seen in “Matchbox”, an upcoming American action adventure comedy film directed by Sam Hargrave.

Based on the toy brand of the same name, it also stars John Cena, Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Arturo Castro, Teyonah Parris, Randeep, Danai Gurira, and Corey Stoll. The film is set to be released in fall 2026. He also has “Operation Khukri,” an epic war drama.

Randeep has secured the official movie rights to “Operation Khukri: The Untold Story of the Indian Army’s Bravest Peacekeeping Mission Abroad” by Major General Rajpal Punia, and Damini Punia.

The film “Operation Khukri” will bring to screen the harrowing real-life events from 2000, when 233 Indian soldiers were held hostage by rebel forces in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and the subsequent high-risk rescue mission that followed.