How Mahira landed the lead opposite Shah Rukh Khan

Pakistani star was chosen over Deepika and Anushka for 'Raees'

Raees emerged as one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2017, particularly during a string of less-than-stellar performances by SRK in the late 2010s. But there's one shining moment that fans still celebrate: the film marked the Bollywood debut of Mahira Khan, who captivated audiences despite it being her only Hindi film to date.

In a candid chat with casting director Mukesh Chhabra for Mashable India, director Rahul Dholakia shared the backstory behind Mahira's casting. He expressed the rarity of finding a 30-something actor in India with a command of Hindi, alongside an innocence that perfectly fit the character of Aasiya, the film's female lead. "Shah Rukh was 50, so we wanted a heroine who is at least 30-something," Dholakia noted, emphasising the challenge of finding the right match.

"We had a few options," he admitted, referencing the likes of Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma, but ultimately, they were too costly for a role that was relatively small. "Shah Rukh Khan cannot romance an Alia Bhatt!" Dholakia quipped, illustrating the unique dynamics at play in the casting process.

As the hunt for the perfect actor continued, Mahira's name came from an unexpected source. Both Gauri Khan and Dholakia's mothers had seen Mahira in a Pakistani television show and recommended her. Intrigued, Dholakia reached out to casting director Honey Trehan, who happened to know Mahira was in Mumbai for promotional work. After a swift audition, Dholakia declared, "I have found my Aasiya," sealing the Pakistani actor's fate in a role that would propel her into Bollywood's limelight.

In a throwback to her initial experience, Mahira earlier recounted attending the auditions while in Mumbai for Humsafar promotions. "I received a message saying, 'big film, pick up,'" she recalled, noting how she was initially unaware of the project's scale. Upon learning it was an Excel Entertainment production, Mahira felt a wave of excitement. "They explained the film to me, but I could not understand much until they said I would star opposite Shah Rukh Khan," she shared, her excitement palpable even years later.

While Raees may have faced mixed reviews and is now remembered as part of SRK's underperforming phase, the film undeniably played a pivotal role in Mahira Khan's career, showcasing the potential of cross-border collaborations and setting the stage for future ventures.