Shah Rukh Khan signed Baazigar after Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan declined, reveals Robin Bhatt: 'But put one strict condition'
Shah Rukh Khan
, the undisputed King of Bollywood, has delivered countless unforgettable performances over the years. Among his early breakthroughs,
Baazigar
remains a fan-favorite, celebrated for its bold storytelling. Interestingly, the film's journey to Shah Rukh wasn't straightforward. Screenwriter
Robin Bhatt
recently revealed that SRK only came on board after both
Salman Khan
and
Akshay Kumar
had rejected the role, and he had just one firm demand.
Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan said no to Baazigar
In an interview with Friday Talkies, Robin Bhatt, who is the younger half-brother of Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, recounted how Baazigar was born. He shared that he once received a call asking if he had watched A Kiss Before Dying. Although he hadn't seen the film, Robin had read the novel it was based on and felt confident they could adapt it. Soon after, he was asked to prepare the screenplay, with directors
Abbas-Mustan
eager to direct the project.
The bigger hurdle came later: casting. Since the script flipped the traditional hero narrative by making the protagonist a villain, most stars shied away. Akshay Kumar was the first choice but declined. Later, Salman Khan was approached through his father, Salim Khan, but he too passed on the project.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Trading gold CFDs with one of the lowest spreads?
IC Markets
Learn More
Undo
Robin then realized that it would take someone truly fearless to play such a morally ambiguous role. And that's when Shah Rukh Khan entered the picture.
Shah Rukh
Khan agreed instantly but put one strict condition
Robin recalled meeting SRK frequently at Hotel Villa, where the actor would attend script sessions for Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, while Robin worked on his own stories. He noticed that Shah Rukh had a different mindset compared to others. During one of their casual conversations, Robin narrated the first half of Baazigar's story to Shah Rukh.
Rohit Shetty Denies Rift with Shah Rukh Khan
To his surprise, SRK immediately said yes, without even hearing the second half. However, Shah Rukh made it crystal clear: "I will do the film if only you will leave the script as it is. You will not try and justify the character or make him grey."
His unwavering stance gave Abbas-Mustan the confidence to stick to their daring vision without softening the character. And history was made. For those who might not know, Baazigar went on to star
Kajol
,
Shilpa Shetty
, Raakhee, and
Johnny Lever
, and became one of Shah Rukh Khan's early game-changing hits.
Stay updated with the latest
Best Hindi Movies
,
Best Tamil Movies
,
Best Telugu Movies
,
Best english Movies
,
Best Malayalam Movies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Roshan Mathew says his first Hindi project helped him correct ‘wrong approach' to acting; admits he was ignoring the camera during early Malayalam projects
Actor Roshan Mathew has recently opened up about his busy career in Bollywood, despite being a Mollywood star. He gained popularity with his role in Darlings, and his recent OTT series Kankhajura has received much appreciation. The actor admitted that although his roots are in the Malayalam film industry, he made his debut as an actor with the Hindi series 'Tanlines' in 2015. Roshan Mathew about his role in Kankhajura In an interview with Hindustan Times, Roshan said playing in Kankhajura was exciting because it marked his first time portraying a grey-shaded character—especially in Hindi, where audiences mostly know him as the softer Zulfi from Darlings. He found the change both refreshing and fun. Kankhajura Trailer: Roshan Mathew, Mohit Raina and Sarah Jane Dias Starrer Kankhajura Official Trailer When asked about his appearance and the roles he plays, Roshan admitted that physical appearance plays a significant role in casting choices. He shared that he is glad Kankhajura's director, Chandan Arora, chose him for the role. Roshan about his career in Bollywood and Mollywood Roshan shared that returning to Bollywood feels like coming full circle. He elaborated, 'My first project in front of the camera—where I actually started having fun with the medium—was Tanlines. Proshit Roy, who directed it, played a huge part in helping me make friends with the camera. I had done a couple of films in Malayalam, but they hadn't been released. But I was going about it with the wrong approach. I was completely ignoring the camera and pretending like I was on stage. Proshit changed that for me. I owe a lot to him. So, if you think about it, getting to do another series in Hindi is a strange kind of homecoming." About Kankhajura Kankhajura also features Mohit Raina, Sarah Jane Dias, and Trinetra Haldar in key roles and is currently streaming on OTT.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Kattalan' unit welcomes Rajisha Vijayan on board
The makers of director Paul George's eagerly awaited pan-Indian film, 'Kattalan', featuring actor Antony Varghese (Pepe) in the lead, on Wednesday, welcomed actress Rajisha Vijayan onboard the unit of the film, saying that she would play the female lead character in the film. Following the blockbuster success of 'Marco', which earned widespread acclaim across India and beyond, producer Shareef Muhammed of Cubes Entertainments is back with his next ambitious venture titled 'Kattalan', a high-octane pan-Indian action thriller. On Wednesday, Cubes Entertainments took to its Instagram page to welcome actress Rajisha Vijayan. It said, "Welcoming the Sensational @rajishavijayan to the world of 'Kattalan'. Rajisha Vijayan, the female lead in 'Kattalan'- is a Kerala State Award-winning actress known for her compelling screen presence and versatile performances across South Indian film industries." "She made a powerful debut with 'Anuraga Krikkin Vellam' (2016), earning widespread acclaim and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress. Rajisha continued to impress in impactful roles in films like 'Karnan' (2021), 'Jai Bhim' (2021), 'June' (2019) and the upcoming action thrillers likes 'Sardar 2', 'Bison' and 'Kalamkaval'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Eat 1 Teaspoon Every Night, See What Happens A Week Later [Video] getfittoday Undo Rajisha Vijayan shares glimpses of her Spain vacation "With a strong blend of emotional depth and commanding energy, she remains as one of the most dynamic artistes in South Indian cinema." Rajisha Vijayan is the latest to join the cast, which already has some talented names in it. Rapper Baby Jean, Telugu actor Sunil, best known for his performances in blockbusters like 'Pushpa: The Rise' (2021), 'Pushpa 2' (2024) and 'Jailer' (2023), actor Kabir Duhan Singh , known for his intense screen presence and powerful performances across multiple languages and veteran Malayalam actors Jagadeesh and Siddique are all part of the cast of 'Kattalan'. The film has music by Ajaneesh Loknath, the musical genius behind 'Kantara 2' and choreography by Sharief. Costumes for the film are by Dhanya Balakrishnan and cinematography by Renadive. Editing for the film is by Shameer Muhammed.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Kajol Bashes Paparazzi Culture, Calls Them ‘Disrespectful, Disturbing'
Last Updated: Kajol criticized paparazzi for invading personal space, especially at funerals and private moments. She finds it disturbing to be followed. Celebrities have often spoken out about how the paparazzi cross the line. Now, Kajol has also shared her own thoughts. In a recent interview, she opened up about how uncomfortable it feels when photographers don't respect personal space. When asked what she would change about the paparazzi culture, Kajol told Bollywood Hungama, 'I am a little conscious with paps. I think there are certain places where they shouldn't be. Like I find it very strange when they run after actors at someone's funeral and ask for photos. I find that odd and a little disrespectful. I find it strange that you cannot even go for lunch." She also spoke about how unsettling it is to be followed. 'They follow you for kilometres from Juhu to Bandra to look where I am going and which building I am going to. I find that disturbing. If I were a normal person, would you do that? Wouldn't I have taken you to the cops and said this person is following me? What should I tell the cops now?" she said. Kajol isn't the only one feeling this way. Alia Bhatt had earlier called out paps for taking photos of her while she was at home. Actor Rana Daggubati also had a run-in with photographers at the airport after one of them accidentally bumped into him. Meanwhile, Kajol is getting ready for her next film Maa, a horror drama directed by Vishal Furia and backed by Devgn Films. She plays the lead role, and the story follows a mother trying to protect her daughter from an evil curse in a haunted village. The film also stars Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta, and Kherin Sharma. It's set to release in theatres on June 27. Kajol, the daughter of veteran actress Tanuja and filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, stepped into the world of films with Bekhudi in 1992 while she was still in school. She later chose to leave her studies to pursue acting full-time. Her early successes came with hit films like Baazigar (1993) and Yeh Dillagi (1994). Kajol became one of the most popular stars of the 1990s thanks to iconic romantic films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), both of which also won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Apart from romance, she impressed critics with intense performances in Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997), where she played a psychopathic killer, and Dushman (1998), where she took on the role of a woman seeking revenge. First Published:
