Bollywood’s beloved choreographer-turned-director Farah Khan recently dished on the surprising stars she almost cast in her hit debut film, ‘Main Hoon Na’. In a revealing interview, she shared the inside scoop on her casting struggles and how the iconic movie eventually came together.
The Shah Rukh Khan Factor Farah Khan emphasized her long-standing friendship with Shah Rukh Khan, calling him her “rock” in the film industry. “Shah Rukh is always in,” Farah said, “He’s the one constant in my movies.”
The Hunt for the Perfect Cast Farah admitted she faced hiccups in finding the rest of her ‘Main Hoon Na’ crew. “We didn’t have the fancy casting directors back then,” she explained. “It was me, my assistants, and a lot of searching!” Sushmita Sen was the only other star locked in from the beginning.
Lucky’s Many Faces Can you imagine Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, or Sohail Khan as the lovable Lucky? Farah considered them all! “Hrithik was my first pick,” she revealed, “but his career exploded after ‘Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai’, and schedules didn’t work out.” The others didn’t pan out either, until Zayed Khan came along with his charming smile, just before filming began!
The Search for Sanjana Amrita Rao’s sweet Sanjana was almost played by Ayesha Takia! However, a scheduling conflict with another film led to Amrita snagging the role at the last minute.
The Villain No One Wanted
Farah surprised fans by revealing that the terrorist villain, Raghavan, was turned down by industry legends Naseeruddin Shah, Nana Patekar, and Kamal Haasan. It was ultimately Suniel Shetty who brought the character to life.
A Blockbuster is Born
Despite the casting rollercoaster, ‘Main Hoon Na’ became a smash hit in 2004, adored by audiences and critics alike. The film’s success solidified Farah Khan’s place as a talented director.
