10 films Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar might be regretting passing on to their competitors!

By Sreeju Sudhakaran
Published: September 4, 2016 9:27 AM IST

Mistake or not...this time you decide that...

Zoya Akhtar's debut movie, Luck By Chance, was her best work till date (Sorry, lovers of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara) and also the most underrated. Also Read - Salman Khan, Kannappa, Abhira, BTS and more: Top celebs, TV serials and more trending Entertainment News of the day

The film, starring Farhan Akhtar, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Dimple Kapadia and Isha Sharvani, told a love story of two strugglers, with Bollywood as the background. Hrithik Roshan, who had an extended cameo, played a superstar in the film who exits from the movie that Rishi Kapoor was producing, a role which later makes Farhan Akhtar's character in the film a superstar. There is a scene in the film when these two come face to face during a party where Karan Johar (playing himself) indirectly tells Hrithik's character that he himself paved way for his competitor to rise by leaving the other project. Also Read - Salman Khan house shooting case: Accused arrested from Gujarat brought to Mumbai amid right security, grilling to follow soon

That scene holds so true when it comes to so many movies in Bollywood, or for the matter, any other industry. For example, did you know that Tom Cruise was the first choice to play Iron Man, a role that made Robert Downey Jr. one of the most in-demand actors worldwide. Or for the matter, Danny Denzongpa was the first choice to play Gabbar Singh in the iconic Sholay, a role which he had to reluctantly pass on to be in Feroz Khan's Dharmatma, and which was later grabbed by a little known actor called Amjad Khan. Also Read - Gadar 2 to Pathaan, box office collection records of 2023 that are yet to be broken and the movies that have the potential

Even the current superstars like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Deepika Padukone have rejected roles that their competitors had picked up, and which also became one of their best roles of their career.

Here are 10 such instances in Bollywood which these superstars passed on, only to regret it later (i think, they definitely would have):

Aamir Khan

Film: Darr

Before Shah Rukh Khan had taken on the role with enough grey shades, and made 'Kiran' one the most sought after names in the country, the role was first offered to Aamir Khan by Yash Chopra. We don't know what made him reject the role. Perhaps, Aamir didn't want to do a negative role so early in his career, or that he didn't want to get bashed up by Sunny Deol. Or perhaps, he was still hurting by the poor business done by the last film he did with Yash Chopra, Parampara. Whatever the reason is, SRK lapped up the role and thus, began a very fruitful association of him with Yash Chopra, as he was the lead in all the three films that Yashji later directed (Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Veer - Zaara and Jab Tak hai Jaan). This also gave him the opportunity to be pass of the biggest hit of his career, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Interestingly, Darr was also offered to Vivek Mushran. You know, the Ilu Ilu guy from Saudagar.

Ajay Devgn

Film: Baazigar

There is a story behind the supposed rivalry between Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan, and it had nothing to do with Kajol and SRK's jodi being appreciated by the masses. Apparently, Abbas-Mustan had first offered the film to Ajay Devgn, who was the freshest action star thanks to his super debut in Phool aur Kaante. Ajay Devgn was said to have passed on the role because he thought it would come back to him and he could renegotiate the fee. However, SRK lapped up the role that gave him his first Filmfare award for the Best Actor. There is also a rumour that Ajay had called up SRK to not take up the role, which the latter disregarded and that caused their rift.

Twinkle Khanna

Film: Kuch Kuch Hota hai

Karan Johar and Twinkle Khanna were childhood friends, and Karan even admitted he had a crush on Twinkle Khanna once. When he was busy preparing his debut film, he wanted Twinkle Khanna to play the hottest girl in the college, and also the one to steal Rahul's heart before Anjali. But that didn't happen, and Rani Mukerji came on board. Incidentally, her character is named Tina, which also happens to be Twinkle's pet name.

Shah Rukh Khan

Film: Munna Bhai MBBS

For a guy who took on a few rejected roles and made the best out of it, SRK himself had rejected many, the most iconic being the role of the loveable goon called Munna. The film was directed by a then unknown film-maker known for his Fevicol ads, before he became the biggest director in Bollywood, Rajkumar Hirani. However, the reason for Shah Rukh Khan to reject the role was because he was recuperating from an injury and could not work on the physicality required for the role. It was he himself who suggested the role of Sanjay Dutt to the makers. Incidentally, Sanjay Dutt was supposed to play the role which was later taken on by Jimmy Sheirgill.

Shah Rukh Khan was also supposed to be the lead role in 3 Idiots, which was later done by Aamir Khan. So that's two chances gone for King Khan to work with Rajkumar Hirani.

Hrithik Roshan

Film: Dil Chahta Hai

Everyone loves Dil Chahta Hai and everyone love Aamir Khan's Aakash, the loyal but irascible friend who doesn't believe in love, but later has a Bollywood change of heart. Though it was little difficult to imagine Aamir Khan as a just passed-out college student (a feat he later repeated in 3 Idiots), he did absolute justice to the role which, doubled with Lagaan made 2001 his year. But many didn't know that Hrithik Roshan was Farhan Akhtar's first choice for the film, who rejected it because he was too busy doing other films. It was also rumoured that he was supposed to do Akshaye Khanna's role, while Akshaye was to do Aamir's role. However, when Aamir came on board, he insisted on playing Aakash's character, and the rest as you know, is glorious history.

Kareena Kapoor Khan

Film: Goliyon ki Raasleela....Ram Leela

When Sanjay Leela Bhansali first wanted to make Ram Leela, he had envisioned Kareena Kapoor and Ranveer Singh to play the lead role, and had even did a photoshoot with them. However, Kareena chose to walk out from the film for undisclosed reasons. There was talks that she was unhappy with the non-pregnancy clause in her contract, and also had objections to the kissing scenes in the film. Kareena later said that she wasn't interested in the role at all (though she did Heroine later, so that statement doesn't make much sense). Kareena's loss was Deepika Padukone's gain, and we got one of the most loved jodis of recent times.

Kangana Ranaut

Film: The Dirty Picture

Kangana Ranaut could have won her third National award if she hadn't let go of this golden opportunity to play the sex siren in a film based on the life of the late Silk Smitha. Vidya Balan did a great job at it, and got a National award for the same. The issue is, if Kangana did accept the role, she would have been a total miscast. We are not doubting her acting skills; it's that the role require certain kind of voluptuousness from the actress playing the role, and Kangana's thin frame could never fit that.

Akshay Kumar

Film: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

It's hard to believe that there could be any other actor who could play Milkha Singh in this film other than Farhan Akhtar; the actor easily bit into his role, and relished his part. However, it's hard to believe that Farhan was never the first choice in the role. The makers were eyeing Akshay Kumar to play the role; we sure don't know how it would have worked out, if the actor had said yes.

Vivek Oberoi

Film: Hum Tum

In what could have been the biggest mistake of his career (apart from that darned press conference), Vivek Oberoi had passed on to play the lead in this YRF film, which turned out to be one of Saif Ali Khan's biggest solo hits. Saif Ali Khan even won the National award for the Best actor for this film, but that's a totally weird story for another day.

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BySreeju Sudhakaran
Published: September 4, 2016 9:27 AM IST