Bollywood’s ace filmmaker Karan Johar revealed that Kajol was not the original choice for the role of Anjali in ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’.
In an earlier interview, Johar had disclosed that despite his wish to reunite with his ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ heroine Kajol for his sophomore direction as well, his original choice was Miss World, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for the main role of Anjali opposite Shahrukh Khan.
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“When I was casting for Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, I got to know that Kajol won’t be able to do the film because she was married and maybe she wanted to start a family. I thought I will approach Aishwarya [Rai],” Johar recalled during the interview.
He added, “On that particular day, at 3 pm. I reached Kajol’s studio and I thought she will say no, we will shed some tears and I will leave. I, of course, felt bad because Kajol had already worked with me.”
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“But I don’t know what changed, Kajol actually wanted to do the film. So, I did not go to meet Aishwarya. But Aishwarya was my choice and after that, the series of ‘missing’ started.”
Speaking about the same offer, Rai also noted, “He [Karan Johar] did come to me with K3G also but then, his script went in for a change. So the character did change. I know that for sure because I know what was narrated to me and what I saw on screen eventually was different.”
“Of course, Kajol was fabulous. But that also went and I could not do it.”
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It is worth mentioning here that Johar and Rai worked together many years later in ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’.
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Released in 2001, the Dharma Productions’ family drama was written and directed by filmmaker Karan Johar. Apart from Kajol, the ensemble cast of the title also featured Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan.
The most expensive Indian film of that time, ‘K3G’ was a major commercial success and received several accolades, including five Filmfare Awards.
