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Shahrukh Khan got stardom from the film Baazigar released in 1993. However, very few people know that Shahrukh Khan was not the first choice of directors Abbas-Mustan to play the negative role of Ajay Verma in this film. Before him this film was offered to Salman Khan. Sridevi was also going to play the lead role in the film, however, due to her stubbornness, she could not be a part of the film.
The interesting casting story of this film was narrated by Abbas-Mustan, director of the film Baazigar, in an interview given to Radio Nasha. He had said, we saw talent in Shahrukh. At that time people told us not to make this picture. No gray character ever moves. But we decided, we will definitely make this film. Our producer said that we have made the film Khiladi. Akshay was cast in it. Now let's take Anil Kapoor in Baazigar. Anil was a big star at that time. We went to Anil Kapoor, we also told him the story of the film.
He further told, at that time the shooting of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was going on in Mahalakshmi's studio. After listening to the story, Anil said, your subject is good, but this story is not suitable for me. I can't justify it. You make it with someone else.
Abbas-Mustan further said, after Anil we went to Salman Khan. His father Salim Khan also sat together and listened to the story. At that time he was doing a family oriented film of Rajshree Production. After listening to the story he said, your film will be successful, but I cannot do this film. Right now I am doing a family film, people will not accept me.
He further said that when Salman also rejected the film, he thought of Shahrukh Khan. Both of them had seen some of Shahrukh's previous films. When he reached Shahrukh, he sat on the floor to listen to the story and heard the entire story in one go. As soon as he heard the story he said, I will do this picture. This will be quite challenging.
Abbas-Mustan have told in the interview that Shahrukh was so excited for the film that at that very moment he started deciding what kind of acting he was going to do in which scene. Shahrukh showed him every scene in different ways in the workshop.
Sridevi had stubbornly left the film Baazigar
During the conversation, Abbas Mastan also shared a funny incident about the casting of the female lead. He told that Kajol was the first to be cast for the film, who was only 17 years old. After this he went to Sridevi for another actress. After listening to the story, Sridevi said that she wants to play the role of two sisters.
Shilpa Shetty played the role of Seema in the film.
He said, Shahrukh Khan was already playing two types of characters in the film, in such a situation, if the heroine also had a double role, then the audience would feel that everything is double-double. We thought that Sridevi should be given the role of Seema, but then we thought that if we show a superstar like Sridevi dying in the first half of the film, then the audience might reject the film. With this idea, this role was later given to Shilpa Shetty.
