Before Rani Mukerji, Aishwarya Rai was offered 'KKHH' and she denied

Did you know Aishwarya Rai Bachchan said no to the titular Kuch Kuch Hota Hai role that basically established Rani Mukerji in Bollywood?

If you are a true Bollywood buff, chances are you clearly remember Mukerji’s Tina Malhotra. The petite actor walked into the frame of Karan Johar’s directorial debut and with that, made a permanent space in our hearts.

But what you may not know is that Mukerji was not the first choice for that role. Twinkle Khanna, Karisma Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had all been offered the film before her. Aish, in fact, has spoken about what made her refuse it.

She was new to the film industry at that time and was not sure whether the1998 film would be right for her. “I’m in a catch-22 situation, really. Though I’m a newcomer, I’m compared with all the senior actresses,” Aishwarya had said a year after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai came out.

“If I’d have done the film, it would have been tittered that, ‘Look, Aishwarya Rai is back to doing what she used to do in her modelling days — leaving her hair straight, wearing minis and pouting glamorously into the camera.’ Ultimately, the hero goes back to the more real person. I know if I’d done Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I’d have gotten lynched.”

Aish had also spoken about being stereotyped and her need to move ahead. “Look, I can’t fight the looks I’ve been born with. If I’m blessed with good looks, so be it. But for Pete’s sake, don’t knock my hard work, my professionalism. I’m only three-films-old. I haven’t given any of my directors any reason to complain.”

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