In a surprising revelation from the past, it has come to light that actress Ayesha Takia was initially chosen to play the role of Sanjana Bakshi in Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster film “Main Hoon Na.” The role, however, eventually went to Amrita Rao.
“Main Hoon Na,” released on April 30, 2004, marked the directorial debut of choreographer-turned-director Farah Khan under Shah Rukh Khan’s banner, Red Chillies Entertainment. Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, who have been close friends for a long time, initially confirmed Shah Rukh and Sushmita Sen for the film’s lead roles.
Sources reveal that Ayesha Takia was onboard for “Main Hoon Na,” but her commitments to Imtiaz Ali’s debut film “Socha Na Tha,” in which she starred opposite Abhay Deol, created scheduling conflicts. Imtiaz Ali had to urgently shoot a song sequence in Manali, promising Farah Khan that Ayesha would be available in just five days. However, the shoot extended to 45 days, leaving Farah Khan in Mumbai concerned about the progress of her film.
Faced with the challenge of keeping the production on track, Farah Khan made the difficult decision to replace Ayesha Takia with Amrita Rao for the role of Sanjana Bakshi. Following the casting change, the film’s crew relocated to Darjeeling to continue the shoot.
“Main Hoon Na” went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2004, propelling Farah Khan into the elite list of successful directors. The film’s success led to two more collaborations between Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, “Om Shanti Om” and “Happy New Year,” both of which were box office successes.
