Did you know before Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan was almost Lord Ram? Romance between Sohail Khan-Pooja Bhatt led to mythological epic being shelved

Time of India

a day ago

In the early 1990s, Sohail Khan envisioned a grand Bollywood Ramayana with Salman Khan as Lord Ram and Sonali Bendre as Sita. However, an on-set romance between Sohail and Pooja Bhatt, coupled with family disapproval, led to Pooja's exit. Consequently, the ambitious project was shelved, dashing hopes for a landmark mythological film.
As excitement builds around
Nitesh Tiwari
's upcoming Ramayana, starring
Ranbir Kapoor
and Yash, few remember that Bollywood almost brought the epic to life decades ago—with
Salman Khan
in the lead. Long before this modern retelling, a grand version of the Ramayana was set in motion by
Sohail Khan
in the early 1990s.
But just as the film was gaining momentum, an unexpected off-screen romance—and a family rift—led to its sudden collapse.
Sohail Khan's Mythological Dream
According to story published in Bollywoodshaadis.com, back in the early 1990s, Sohail—fresh off his directorial debut Auzaar—was gearing up for his next ambitious project: a Bollywood adaptation of the Ramayana. He had envisioned a grand scale and an impressive cast, with his brother Salman Khan set to play 'Lord Ram' and
Sonali Bendre
cast as 'Goddess Sita'.
At the time, Salman was already emerging as one of Bollywood's biggest stars, making the project all the more high-profile.
Pooja Bhatt
Joins the Cast
Pooja Bhatt was also onboard for the ambitious project, which had already completed nearly 40percent of its shoot. Salman Khan had even begun early promotions, donning traditional attire with a bow and arrow, sparking excitement among fans for his portrayal of Lord Ram. With strong initial buzz and a star-studded cast, the film was shaping up to be a grand mythological spectacle — until fate intervened and brought it to an unexpected halt.
Romance on Set Derails the Film
Preparations were progressing smoothly when an unexpected twist disrupted the film's trajectory. According to a report in Mid-Day and India.com, Sohail and Pooja developed a romantic relationship during the shoot of Ramayana. Their bond quickly deepened, and by 1995, Pooja had even spoken openly about the possibility of marriage—adding an off-screen complication that would soon impact the fate of the film.
However, things took a turn when
Salim Khan
, the patriarch of the Khan family, reportedly disapproved of Sohail and Pooja's growing relationship.
Concerned about potential complications, he is said to have advised Sohail to call it off. The resulting fallout not only ended the romance but also derailed the ambitious Ramayana project—bringing Salman and Sohail's mythological dream to an abrupt halt.
Project Shelved After Pooja Bhatt's Exit
Pooja was reportedly deeply hurt by the Khan family's cold stance, and tensions quickly escalated. She exited the project, and soon after, the ambitious film began to crumble.
Despite Salman Khan's efforts to keep it afloat, nothing could save the production. The project was ultimately shelved indefinitely—bringing an end to what could have been a landmark mythological film featuring Salman Khan as Lord Ram and Sonali Bendre as Sita.
Ramayana Returns
Now, nearly thirty years after the original project fell apart, Ramayana is being revived on an even grander scale. Directed by Dangal and Chhichhore fame Nitesh Tiwari and co-produced by Namit Malhotra and actor Yash, the upcoming adaptation is envisioned as a two-part epic and is poised to become the most expensive Indian film ever made.