The first choice of makers for Suniel Shetty’s role was Naseeruddin Shah.
Amrita Rao would have lost the role of Sanjana at one point as makers were serious about casting Ameesha Patel for the role.
One of the biggest successes in Farah Khan as well as Shah Rukh Khan’s film career was Main Hoon Na. The action scenes, storyline and captivating performances of actors like Sushmita Sen, Amrita Rao, Zayed Khan and Suniel Shetty led the 2004 film to garner immense love and applause from the audience as well as critics. Farah Khan’s directorial debut left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry all thanks to the characters that stayed with us forever.
However, do you know that some of the actors who played a major part in the film were not the first choice for the film? Well, the iconic film was rejected by eight big-shot names.
Main Hoon Na had Shah Rukh Khan as the protagonist while Suniel Shetty stole the show with his role as antagonist. On the other hand, Zayed played Lucky, Shah Rukh’s step-brother and Amrita as his love interest. Sushmita Sen’s role as Miss Chandni was captivating enough. From Lucky’s tattered denim to Chandni’s gorgeous chiffon sarees and Ragahvan’s intense eyes, the film brought back many fond memories.
It is worth noting that Farah initially wanted Naseeruddin Shah to essay the villain Raghavan in the film. Since Naseeruddin was occupied shooting for The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the role also went to Kamal Hassan and Nana Patekar. But they did not sign the film either. After the three stars turned down the offer, Suniel Shetty bagged the role and played the character wonderfully. However, Naseeruddin did a cameo in the film and played Shah Rukh’s father.
Coming to Zayed Khan’s role in the film, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and even Sohail Khan were considered for the role before the role went to him. In addition to that, if things had fallen in place, Aishwarya Rai would have done Miss Chandni in Main Hoon Na. However, Shah Rukh, at that time, did not want to work with Aishwarya. Amrita Rao would have lost the role of Sanjana at one point as makers were serious about casting Ameesha Patel for the role.
Well, all the actors in the film did justice to their characters and now, none of us could even imagine someone else playing those roles.
