Abhishek Banerjee is known for choosing unique stories and delivering powerful performances. His recent film Stolen is winning hearts on Amazon Prime Video. The survival thriller has been appreciated by both critics and fans. But what many don’t know is that Abhishek almost rejected the project. Yes, you read that right. He nearly quit filming because of artistic conflicts. Let’s see what actually transpired behind the scenes.
The Actor Had Serious Concerns About The Script
Abhishek Banerjee is not just the lead actor in Stolen but also one of its executive producers. When he initially read the script, he adored the plot and character. However, he noticed that some areas in the script required more work, particularly in terms of the emotional arc of his character.
According to OTTplay, Abhishek said, “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.”
The actor also revealed that he and the film’s producer, Gaurav Dhingra, had a serious argument over these changes. He insisted that they needed to fix those issues before starting the shoot. Abhishek Banerjee added, “I wasn’t trying to be difficult; I just wanted the film to be the best it could be.”
How A Face-To-Face Meeting Saved The Film
Instead of ignoring the issue, Gaurav Dhingra flew to Delhi, where Abhishek was attending an event. They sat down together and discussed every concern point by point. Abhishek shared, “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.”
He said this conversation gave him the confidence to commit to the film. Just two days later, they were on set. Directed by Karan Tejpal, Stolen tells the story of two brothers who find themselves in a dangerous situation when a child is kidnapped from a railway station. The film stars Abhishek Banerjee, Shubham Vardhan and Mia Maelzer.
