Poker With STARS: Randeep Hooda Takes on India’s Poker OG’s in Explosive New Show

Lights, camera, and a whole lot of chips—PokerStars India just flipped the script on your regular poker night by bringing Bollywood’s rugged leading man, Randeep Hooda, straight from the silver screen onto the green felt. Calling himself the “next OG,” Randeep slid into a 5-max SNG lineup boasting poker’s homegrown OGs: The PokerStars India ambassadors Neel Joshi, Siddharth Karia, Kanchan Sharma, and Goonjan Mall. No production crews were yelling “Cut!“— just high-stakes intuition, clever bluffs, and trash-talk so witty it’d make a stand-up comic blush.

The energy was palpable even before Randeep arrived. Neel Joshi admitted it was his first time on a real set, trading spotlight jitters for poker nerves. Goonjan Mall was clearly excited, sensing they were on the verge of something big. Kanchan Sharma remembered the anticipation as they waited for the fifth player, that empty seat drawing all eyes. And then, in strode Mr Hooda, with a smirk and a playful line: “Ready with the chips, not potato chips.” With that, Bollywood glamour met poker bravado, and the camera started rolling.

Randeep, eyes gleaming with mischief, announced, “I’m really looking forward to playing with the OGs and kicking your ass.” Kanchan couldn’t help but grin—the star power was undeniable. Goonjan summed it up perfectly: everyone would be playing looser than a summer blockbuster’s plotline, all for a shot at taking down the movie star. Even Randeep noticed Siddharth Karia’s cool, unflinching gaze behind those shades, recognizing a poker face honed to perfection.

Though it was Randeep’s poker debut, there were no training wheels. Siddharth gave him a quick rundown of the chip denominations—an olive branch that Randeep instantly turned into a challenge, vowing zero mercy.

And the cards hit the felt. First hand? Randeep snatched it, making a cheeky exit-line jest: “I’m feeling good about kicking all your ass… It’s all right then; I’m leaving now. Thank you!” The table cracked up. Then he took down the second pot, brazenly convincing Kanchan to fold what turned out to be a turned full house. This wasn’t just a cameo; Randeep was reading his rivals like well-thumbed scripts, leaning less on cards and more on character study. An award-winning actor knows a tell when he sees one!

“Is poker really a sport?” Randeep mused, prompting a chorus of knowing nods. The pros explained it’s a mental marathon—endurance, skill, psychological warfare—where the sharpest minds consistently rise to the top year after year. Folding, they said, is as important as playing big hands. Smart laydowns save chips, and that translates to profit.

As the chips shuffled and stories flowed, they talked about dreams, passions, and careers. Neel spoke about following his calling. Randeep drew parallels to acting, explaining how imagination and observation fuel his craft. Just like a player sizing up a table of sharks, an actor must understand human nature—he watches, listens, and feels every emotion, storing it all as creative ammo.

Neel linked poker’s calculated risks to the challenges of making it in showbiz—both demand perseverance through losing streaks, failed auditions, and endless hustling. Randeep nodded knowingly. “What’s the hardest thing for an actor?” Randeep asked the pros, but none knew the answer. His answer was a poker-like zinger: “To get a job.”

But the deck eventually picks sides, and in the final hands, the cards turned cold on the Bollywood hero. A showdown with Siddharth dealt a serious blow to Randeep’s stack, and the star learned that at a poker table, nobody gets a free pass—not even a Bollywood superstar!

In the end, it was pure entertainment. The pros were clearly pleased, grateful to play against a fearless opponent. Randeep brought a cinematic swagger that lit up the table, while PokerStars India served up a new kind of show.

The takeaway? This Poker With STARS premiere proved that mixing a movie star with poker pros creates a spectacle. Stay tuned—if the pilot is any indication, this series is going to be a wild, star-studded ride.