PHOTO: BUZZFEED
Imagine if Saif Ali Khan had essayed the role of Raj in DDLJ. Or if Shah Rukh had starred as Munna Bhai. Did that last one make you cringe? Don't worry... we had the same reaction.
According to Buzzfeed, some of our favourite Bollywood characters would have been played by other actors had fate not intervened. Whatever their reasons, many of the following celebrities turned down what went on become some of the industry's most iconic roles. Here are eight of them:
1. Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, instead of Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra in Dil Dhadakne Do.
While we loved Priyanka and Raveer's sibbling bonding in the film, it's a fact that they got the roles only after the Kapoor cousins turned them down. Nonetheless, we cannot help but wonder how it would be if the latter actually played siblings on-screen.
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2. Kareena Kapoor Khan instead of Ameesha Patel in Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai.
It is common knowledge that Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai marked the debuts of Ameesha and Hrithik Roshan. But what many don't know is that it was none other than Kareena again who was originally supposed to be the female lead.
3. Saif Ali Khan instead of Shah Rukh Khan in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
Picturing anyone other than SRK in the adorable role of Raj in DDLJ is blasphemy. But believe it or not, SRK wasn't all that interested in the film, which went to become a Bollywood classic. Filmmaker Aditya Chopra then approached Saif with the offer but he, too, declined. Adi then went back to SRK who finally agreed to do it.
4. Shah Rukh Khan instead of Sanjay Dutt in Munnabhai MBBS
Envision SRK as Munna Bhai and Sanjay as Zaheer (which was later played by Jimmy Shergill). Director Vidhu Vinod wanted to cast SRK as Munna Bhai, but it didn't work out. To be honest, we are glad it didn't!
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5. Ranveer Singh instead of Ranbir Kapoor in Bombay Velvet.
The film turned out to be quite the disaster at the box office. Could it have been saved had b Anurag Kashyep cast Ranveer? Guess we'll never find out...
6. Twinkle Khanna instead of Rani Mukerji in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Bollywood very own quirky and witty Twinkle Khanna as the sweet and innocent Tina? Umm, no, don't think so. In her recent debut on Koffee With Karan, the Soldier star revealed that Karan Johar wrote Tina's character with her in mind. However, Twinkle turned the offer down and that's where Rani came in.
7. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Salman Khan instead of Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh in Bajirao Mastani
It's obvious that everyone's favourite on and - allegedly - off screen couple Ranveer and Deepika are Sanjay Leela Bhansali's favourites too. But after casting the duo in Ram-Leela, Sanjay wanted a different cast for Bajirao Mastani. Sanjay wanted the Bodyguard duo to star in the film but to no avail.
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8. Kangana Ranaut instead of Vidya Balan in The Dirty Picture.
Queen star Kangana is known to be brilliant. In an interview once, she confessed that she was offered to play Vidya's role in The Dirty Picture but turned it down, fearing that the role of a superstar with a tragic end may become her typecast (referring to her movies Fashion and Woh Lamhe). Kangana later said that she was glad she did opted out, because Vidya was dazzling in the movie.
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