Stolen: Did you know Abhishek Banerjee almost rejected the survival thriller film? Here's why

Abhishek Banerjee is one fine actor who always wins hearts with his simply effective acting. He was recently seen in Stolen. The survival thriller, directed by Karan Tejpal, is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video and has been receiving massive love from fans and critics. But did you know Abhishek almost walked out of the film? Read on to know the reason! 

Abhishek Banerjee almost rejected Stolen

Abhishek Banerjee, who has been receiving praise for his outstanding performance in Stolen, recently revealed that, being an executive producer for the film Stolen, he initially had creative differences with the producer, Gaurav Dhingra, which almost led him to reject the film. 

Abhishek shared in a press note, “Honestly, when I first read the script for Stolen, I loved the story and the character, but I felt there were certain creative aspects that needed deeper exploration—especially with the character’s emotional arc. I’m the kind of actor who likes to completely believe in the character I’m playing, and unless I feel it in my gut, I can’t do justice to the performance."

He further added that Gaurav and he had a pretty intense argument about these changes and the actor would insist that if they really wanted to make something memorable, they would have to get those details straight before they went on camera. "I wasn’t trying to be difficult; I just wanted the film to be the best it could be," Banerjee shared. 

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'It wasn't about egos,' says Abhishek Banerjee

The Mirzapur actor further said that they sat down face-to-face and discussed every point, every doubt he had. Gourav listened and they worked through all the differences.

"It wasn’t about egos—it was about making the film the best it could be. I think that’s what great collaborations are made of—creative differences that lead to honest conversations, and ultimately to something even better than what you first imagined. I’m grateful to Gaurav for going the extra mile and helping us align our visions," Abhishek said.

About Stolen

Stolen, directed by Karan Tejpal, revolves around two city-dwelling brothers, Gautam (Abhishek Banerjee) and Raman (Shubham Vardhan), who are caught up in a terrifying ordeal when a child is stolen from a railway station. The story explores themes of class, social injustice, and the blurred lines between morality and survival, all set against the backdrop of a rural Indian landscape.

The survival thriller features Abhishek Banerjee as Gautam Bansal, Shubham Vardhan as Raman Bansal, and Mia Maelzer as Jhumpa Mahato. The film also touches on the issue of illegal surrogacy and the exploitation of vulnerable women.

For the unversed, Stolen has already been recognised at several prestigious film festivals, including the Venice Film Festival 2023, the BFI London, and the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).