Salman Khan's Choice For 'Wanted' Film Was THIS Heroine In Place of Ayesha Takia; Read On

The second innings of Salman Khan's career began with Prabhu Deva's 'Wanted', which continued his dominance at the box office throughout the 2010s. Ayesha Takia was not Salman's choice for the film but this actress was. Check Here

'Wanted' (2009) gave a new direction to Salman Khan's career. According to producer Boney Kapoor, Salman's choice was Katrina Kaif, but he chose Ayesha Takia for his new pair. This remake of the Telugu film 'Pokiri' became a big hit.

Prabhu Deva's 'Wanted' marked the second innings of Salman Khan's career, which saw him continue his dominance at the box office throughout the 2010s. The 2009 film helped the superstar overcome a string of flops and established him as an action star. Now a cult classic, the film is best remembered for its action and its unique and fresh pairing with Ayesha Takia, but after all these years, the film's producer Boney Kapoor has revealed that Ayesha was not the first choice for the film.

Which actress was the producers' first choice for the film 'Wanted'?

Salman gave his approval after watching the film. Prabhu Deva was chosen to direct the film. Boney wanted a new heroine, but Salman wanted to cast a co-star who often worked with him in the film. Recalling this, Boney said, Salman Khan had suggested Katrina Kaif's name for the lead role in 'Wanted', the Hindi remake of 'Pokiri'. But since the character was initially confused about his feelings for Radhe, I thought it would be better to cast an actress who had never worked with him before. We considered many names, including Genelia D'Souza, and finally finalized Ayesha Takia.

How did Boney Kapoor decide to make 'Wanted'?

Boney Kapoor continued, "I accidentally saw Puri Jagannath's 2006 Telugu blockbuster 'Pokiri'. I felt Salman was the right choice for the role of Radhe alias Rajveer Shekhawat. I wanted him to watch the film and had organised two preview shows, but Salman could not come as he was busy. I was worried that if the Tamil remake was released and it was as big a hit as the original, some other Bollywood actor or director would show interest in the Hindi remake rights and like Ghajini, I would lose the rights to Pokiri." 'Wanted' was released in theatres on September 18, 2009 and became a huge hit. It grossed over ₹60 crore in India and around ₹100 crore worldwide.