Deepika Padukone was Imtiaz Ali's first choice for 'Rockstar'

Director Imtiaz Ali’s cult hit Rockstar had released nine years ago on November 11, 2011. The film cemented Ranbir Kapoor as a quintessential Imtiaz hero, and gave Nargis Fakhri her Bollywood debut. But did you know that Imtiaz had initially eyed Deepika Padukone for the lead role?

According to the Hindustan Times, in a post on Padukone’s website years later, the filmmaker elaborated on their first meeting and how the collaboration never came to happen. In a 2019 post, he said, “She got off the car at the hotel porch and looked at me. I immediately knew that this is the girl I have come to meet. She also immediately knew that I am the director she had come to meet because she had those eyes that looked as if they knew.”

He added, “None of Deepika’s films had released at the time. I had come to meet her for Rockstar. I wanted her for the film but it did not get made till many years later. I worked with her in other movies. Many things happened over many years at many places, all of which I might forget, but I will never forget the girl who stepped out of the car at the hotel and looked at me as if she knew.”

Deepika worked with Imtiaz in 2009’s Love Aaj Kal opposite Saif Ali Khan. She then appeared in Cocktail, which Imtiaz co-wrote opposite Saif again. And who can forget Tamasha, where she co-starred Ranbir? The popular onscreen duo has also starred together in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Bachna Ae Haseeno.

However, Imtiaz’s most recent film was a poorly received remake of Love Aaj Kal, starring Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan. He also created the Netflix series She.

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