In the red

Randeep Hooda’s latest film ‘Laal Rang’, out today, exposes the illegal blood trade in India with a humorous edge

Everybody does it, but nobody wants to admit that they do it,” says Randeep Hooda.

The Bollywood actor is alluding to the thousands of desperate Indians who resort to buying blood illegally in a country where demand outstrips supply.

As per Indian laws, buying blood is not allowed and the blood that you get from a licensed blood bank needs to be replaced with a family member’s blood.

“But there is a mindset that giving blood is unholy and makes you weak. So, Indians prefer to buy blood and that’s when blood mafia and blood touts raise their ugly head,” says Hooda.

His latest film, Laal Rang [Red Colour],

explores that dark side of blood donation. Set in Karnal in the North Indian state of Haryana, Hooda plays a rakish rogue who wants to earn money quick.

Laal Rang also stars Akshay Oberoi, who plays Hooda’s best friend.

tabloid! caught up with Hooda in Dubai recently to talk about the film, which releases on today.

There’s an interesting dialogue in the film which goes: ‘we are all puppets made of five litres of blood and 250g of heart.’

Laal Rang, the colour of passion and anger, is about the blood mafia operating in Karnal in Harayana. In my opinion, there is no graver and hideous crime than the