(MENAFN- IANS) Mumbai, July 28 (IANS) Bollywood star and filmmaker Randeep Hooda has revealed how Hollywood icons like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise, and Clint Eastwood first drew him to acting.

Recalling how his tryst with cinema began, Randeep told IANS:“I think like anybody in my room in a small town called Rohtak at that time, it's not small anymore. But, I had posters of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood and all these people. And it took me, and that's what I imagined, you know.”

“And then slowly, I started acting on stage and started realizing that there is more to acting than just those posters or those movies.”

The actor said he started to read more and expose himself to different kinds of acting and work and cinema.

“And then slowly something got formed. And I'm not really sure what it is yet. I'm still trying to discover it,” Randeep, who walked the ramp for 'Blenders Pride Four Elements'.

On the big screen front, Randeep will next be seen in“Matchbox”, an upcoming American action adventure comedy film directed by Sam Hargrave.

Matchbox is 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.

The actor also has the epic war drama“Operation Khukri” lined-up.

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.

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