Randeep Hooda Bids Emotional Goodbye To His Horse Ranji: 'We Just Ran Out of Time'

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Actor Randeep Hooda mourned his horse Ranji, who passed away at 23. The actor expressed deep sorrow on Instagram.
Actor Randeep Hooda, widely known for his deep affection for animals, recently shared a heartfelt tribute to his horse, Ranji, who passed away at the age of 23. More than just a pet, Ranji was a loyal companion, a champion, and a symbol of resilience to the actor.
In a moving post on Instagram, Randeep Hooda recounted Ranji's extraordinary journey — from being rejected by the army for his small size and a botched eye operation, to almost spending a life pulling tangas, until destiny intervened. A timely call between two army officers led to his rescue, and eventually, Ranji found his forever home with Hooda.
'I named him Ranji 'coz of his one eye like Maharaja Ranjit Singh," the actor wrote, recalling the horse's spirited, mischievous nature and zest for life. 'Due to his free upbringing by the Colonel he turned out to be a free spirited and a naughty child. He jumped out or crawled out of all kinds of stables we put him in. With his childlike vivacious personality there was never a dull moment with him around. Always wanting to be running free. He jumped that way too. He took me flying over many an obstacle, sometimes with my eyes shut for the scare of it and won me many a medal. He was always way superior to my riding skills at the time but he carried me well," the Veer Savarkar actor wrote.
Ranji's story was also one of perseverance. He was diagnosed with laminitis — a painful and often fatal disease in horses — during his prime. But instead of giving up, Hooda gave him time, and with medical help, Ranji made a miraculous recovery and returned to jumping again.
'Heartbroken and almost not wanting to keep horses anymore, I bid you farewell my dear trusted friend," a heartbroken Hooda wrote, adding, 'My Ranji. We just ran out of time, brother." Take a look:
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Randeep Hooda (@randeephooda)
On the work front, Randeep Hooda was last seen in Jaat, co-starring Sunny Deol. He will also be a part of Matchbox, an upcoming American action adventure comedy film directed by Sam Hargrave.
First Published:
August 02, 2025, 13:45 IST
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