The multi-talented Farhan Akhtar had a very fascinating conversation with Mayank Shekhar of Mid-Day about his various projects. Farhan opened up about his dream casting for Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and how at one point, Saif Ali Khan almost exited the film.
Mayank Shekhar revealed that 10 days before the shoot, Saif backed out. Farhan Akhtar and his team had an emergency meeting. This is when Aamir Khan told him, “If Saif is not coming back, you are playing that role”. Did Aamir Khan see the actor in Farhan Akhtar at that point?
Farhan clarified, “He had no such feelings! His only feeling was that nobody would understand the part the way I understood. After all, we were ready to go. We were not going to pull the plug 10 days before the shoot. Hence, he said, ‘For any reason, if we can’t convince Saif, you are the only person who knows what this part requires’. It was too late to go out and find someone. We had done readings with Saif. His look was also finalized.”
When asked why Saif Ali Khan backed off, Farhan replied, “When you meet Saif, you should ask him! I am thankful that he didn’t back off because I genuinely could not imagine anybody else.”
Farhan also revealed, “I had a dream cast in my mind and it didn’t happen – Akshaye Khanna, Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan. It was a young film about three young guys. Akshaye had started working but Hrithik and Abhishek had not even made their debut when I started writing it. I knew that they were going to act and hence, I felt that it would be amazing to get these three guys together. Anyway, that didn’t happen.”
On why he finalized Saif Ali Khan, Farhan Akhtar revealed, “I thought of Saif for Sameer’s role based on the little interaction I had with him. He had the timing, self-deprecating humour and the lost-n-confused persona (which were perfect for the character). He was ideal for it, and I was so happy when he agreed to play the role. As a result, my heart broke when I feared that he wouldn’t be playing Sameer. I am just glad it worked out. He has done many great roles, but Dil Chahta Hai was one of his finest. I am not saying this out of any bias, but he was really very good. Later, he went on to do many similar kinds of roles. He became the metrosexual hero!”
Dil Chahta Hai finally rolled with Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna.
More Pages: Dil Chahta Hai Box Office Collection , Dil Chahta Hai Movie Review
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