From Anushka's debut to Aditya's stance on nepotism: 6 shocking revelations made on 'The Romantics'

Smriti Mundhra's four-part documentary series traces life and legacy of filmmaker Yash Chopra

Netflix's latest offering, The Romantics, celebrates the life and legacy of filmmaker Yash Chopra — father of Bollywood romance and his impact on the Indian cinema. While the docu-series has received immense praise for its engaging exploration of India's entertainment industry, it also grabbed eyeballs for revealing many untold stories.

It's not every day we get to witness our favourite celebrities getting candid onscreen. So, to satiate your curious minds, here are 6 things mentioned in The Romantics that you may have never heard before!

1. SRK did not want to be a romantic hero

King Khan is known for his soft-hearted roles in Indian films. From Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) to Kal Ho Naa Ho, the actor has carved a lover boy image for himself in the film industry. However, during The Romantics, it was revealed that was not always the case. The Darr star confessed that when Aditya approached him for DDLJ, he was quite hesitant as he wanted to pursue more action-based roles in films. "Adi used to tell me, 'Your eyes have something that cannot be just wasted on action'." And that's how Bollywood's hero found his true place in the industry as a romantic icon.

2. Anushka's debut was kept a secret

While the much-acclaimed rom-com Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was Yash Raj Films' highest-grossing film at the time of its release, for Anushka Sharma, it was a test to keep secrets. During the docu-series, Anushka reveals that she was told by filmmaker Aditya to keep her debut a secret from everyone, even her parents!

"Everything was under wraps. Nobody knew about it and Adi didn't want anybody to know that I was the lead actor. Adi literally said to me, 'you can't tell anybody. You cannot even tell your parents.' I said, 'Huh? But I have to tell my mother, she lives with me!'" offered the star, chuckling.

3. Ranveer did not fit Aditya's standard of beauty

While Ranveer Singh is a heartthrob in 2023, Aditya admitted on the show that he was not impressed with Ranveer at first sight. He said, "He was this scruffy-looking young fella. I asked my casting director, 'What's wrong with you?'" But, after watching his audition, Aditiya turned out to be the first person to laud Ranveer and believe in his acting prowess.

4. Amitabh's dislike for the term 'Bollywood'

Bollywood is a terminology we all use, however, The Romantics highlighted that many stars detest the word, including Amitabh Bachchan. "Ever since it became popular he has been averse to this term. So many people said that – especially around Mr Bachchan do not slip up, do not say the word Bollywood," explained Smriti Mundhra in an interview with Pinkvilla.

5. Aditya was a better dancer than Hrithik!

Yes, you may have a hard time digesting this but Bollywood's God of dance said it himself. "I don't know what happened. He was supposed to be the one who grows up and does those moves." Hrithik Roshan shared. Abhishek Bachchan also revealed that when there were birthday parties, Aditya won most of the dance competitions against Hrithik.

6. There is nepotism in Bollywood

Nepotism has been a trending subject of debate all over the world lately. Aditya also acknowledged its existence in Bollywood but maintained that not everyone can reap its benefits. "One of the things that people tend to ignore, is that every person who comes from a privileged background–is not successful. I can just articulate it by mentioning my own family, who is an actor and the son of the biggest filmmaker, yet not successful," he shared.

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