Salman Khan's rejection paved way for Shah Rukh Khan's big break with THIS movie

Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar are now two of Bollywood's biggest stars, but their breakthrough roles in Baazigar (1993) and Khiladi (1992) almost went to other actors. Originally, these roles were intended for the Khan brothers, Salman and Arbaaz, who ultimately turned them down. Their choices, guided by veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, helped shape the future of Bollywood.

In a previous interview with The Indian Express, filmmaker Mustan Burmawalla recalled that the story of Khiladi was initially shared with Salim Khan. The filmmakers approached Salim because they wanted to cast his son, Arbaaz Khan, in the lead role. However, after hearing the story with Arbaaz, Salim Khan felt the role wasn’t suited to him. Consequently, the directors approached Akshay Kumar, who would go on to make Khiladi one of his career-defining films.

Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Arbaaz Khan once mentioned in an interview that he was approached by the same directors for another project, but due to his commitment to another director, he couldn’t take on Khiladi. The film he had signed up for, unfortunately, did not materialize, leaving Arbaaz with no project at that time.

Similarly, Baazigar was offered to Anil Kapoor and Salman Khan before Shah Rukh Khan. The filmmakers mentioned that they initially approached Anil Kapoor, who found the script too risky and declined. They then reached out to Salman Khan, who was heavily involved with family-oriented films by Rajshri Productions at the time. Salim Khan felt that Salman’s image was still too early for such an intense role, so they eventually offered the role to Shah Rukh Khan.

Mustan also recalled that when they narrated the script to Shah Rukh, he was captivated. Sitting on the ground while listening to the story, Shah Rukh reportedly stood up, embraced the filmmakers, and expressed his excitement, saying he would take on the role. This decision became a turning point in Shah Rukh’s career, cementing his status as a versatile actor willing to take on challenging roles.

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Currently, Shah Rukh Khan is preparing for a new film, King, in which he will star alongside his daughter, Suhana Khan. Directed by Sujoy Ghosh, Shah Rukh will reportedly play a mafia kingpin, while Suhana will portray his protégé, making this project their first collaboration as father and daughter.

Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar recently appeared in Singham Again and is working on Welcome to the Jungle, the latest installment in the Welcome series. His future projects also include Bhooth Bangla and another film in the Housefull franchise. Interestingly, Salman Khan also made a cameo in Singham Again and is currently filming Sikander alongside Rashmika Mandanna.

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• akshay kumar
• bollywood
• Shah Rukh Khan