20 Super Hit Films That Actors Made The Mistake Of Rejecting

An actor never just lands up with a role. The roles that they play are the ones that they are meant to play, which is why they are selected for them among millions of others. Even after working for years in Bollywood, many actors reject films that later become super hits. It is not only their bad luck, but also the fact that the role was meant to be played by someone else, who is more suitable and who will do more justice to the role. Here are 20 such films that actors rejected and later regretted.

1. Armaan Kohli, Deewana

Armaan Kohli is not much of a name anymore. The actor appeared in Bigg Boss, dated Kajol’s sister, the two parted ways, then he appeared in ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’. That is all most people our age know about him. However, there was once a time when he was offered Shah Rukh’s role for the film Deewana. The actor refused to play the second lead, so Shah Rukh was selected. Even today, Armaan believes that he is the reason why Shah Rukh is such a star.

2. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Corporate

Madhur Bhandarkar offered the role of Bipasha Basu to Aishwarya, which she rejected. But Madhur was very keen on working with her, so he offered her ‘Heroine;, which she did accept. However, later Kareena Kapoor Khan had to be roped in for the role as Aishwarya became pregnant with her daughter.

3. Katrina Kaif, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

After Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, we will be seeing Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina together after many long years in ‘Jagga Jasoos’. However, the actors came very close to working together in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. The film is fast on its way to becoming a cult classic, and it is hard to imagine anyone else playing Naina as well as Deepika Padukone did.

4. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Dostana

The cast for Dostana was pretty much perfect, with each actor wonderfully playing out their roles. The trio of Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra and John Abraham was also incredibly good looking and cute. However, the trio was originally supposed to have Aishwarya, Saif and Abhishek. Ash had to reject the film due to her busy schedule, while Saif backed out a while before filming, so Priyanka and John filled their shoes.

5. Danny Denzongpa, Sholay

Sholay will perhaps remain a classic for as long as Bollywood will exist. However, the film was originally offered to Danny for the role of Gabbar. But with how well Amjad Khan did in the film, and how he made almost all of his dialogues iconic, it is hard to believe anyone else doing justice to the role, although Danny was a great villain.

6. Aamir Khan, Darr

Shah Rukh Khan was beyond brilliant in the film, playing the obsessed lover who was ready to kill for the girl he was obsessing over. The role won him many awards and proved to be a huge stepping stone in his career. However, the first choice for the role was Aamir Khan, who refused as the character was a negative one and not many people are ready to create that image in the industry.

7. Salman Khan, Baazigar

Baazigar is one of those films for which Shah Rukh Khan will forever be remembered. People have seen him in different avatars, but to see him as the clever hero had made people go crazy for him and the title of Baazigar has stuck with ever since. However, the movie was first offered to Salman Khan, who rejected it.

8. Juhi Chawla, Dil To Pagal Hai

Dil To Pagal Hai is a much loved film. People loved the trio, what they shared between them and the chemistry that was so clearly visible between them. But this is not how it was meant to be. Juhi Chawla had been offered Karisma Kapoor ’s role in the film. When she rejected it, it went to Karisma, who was brilliant as always in the film.

9. Shatrughan Sinha, Sholay

The evergreen role was first offered to Shatrughan Sinha, who rejected it, after which it went to Amitabh Bachchan. In a way, it seems to have worked in everyone’s favour, as it is hard to imagine Shatrughan doing as great a job as Amitabh did in terms of the chemistry between him and ‘Dharmendra’, which is what made the friendship between Jai and Veeru so iconic.

10. Salman Khan, Chak De India

It seems as though whatever Salman Khan rejects goes to Shah Rukh Khan, who with his brilliant job makes Salman realize what a mistake he made. Chak De! India is one of the best films of Shah Rukh’s career, and to imagine someone else playing the passionate coach of the girls’ hockey team and keeping them together in quite a task.

11. Shah Rukh Khan, Lagaan

It is hard to imagine that anyone can possibly reject a film like Lagaan, which went to the Oscars as India’s official entry. However, Shah Rukh’s loss was Aamir’s gain. It goes without saying that had Shah Rukh done the role, he would have left a part of himself in his role, but what Aamir did was also more than brilliant.

12. Raj Kapoor, Anand

Raj Kapoor would perhaps have done a great job as the man who is always happy, and is constantly trying to spread happiness despite his terminal illness. But we have seen Rajesh Khanna do it, and he has done it with unmatched brilliance. The style with which he delivered those dialogues is what made his character so iconic.

13. Dev Anand, Zanjeer

Even if you know nothing about cinema, it is impossible that you do not know those iconic dialogues by Amitabh Bachchan that gained him the reputation of being the angry young man. Those were the days when Amitabh Bachchan was already struggling, so Dev Anand’s refusal proved to be a blessing in its purest form for Amitabh Bachchan.

14. Akshay Kumar, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

A man who has done a film like Tees Maar Khan refuses something as substantial as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is hard to digest. Moreover, it was a film based on an athlete and Akshay loves sports and is constantly promoting them, so it is hard to understand why he would have rejected the film. However, Farhan Akhtar did a brilliant job, working hard to make an athlete out of himself and doing justice to the life of Milkha Singh.

15. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Seems like Kajol Devgan was not Karan Johar ’s first choice to play Anjali in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. In fact, she was not even the second choice. The role had first been offered to Aishwarya, who rejected it. Then it was offered to Twinkle, who also refused the film. It was a good thing though, because they may have done the role, but they may not have been able to spark the chemistry that only Shah Rukh and Kajol share.

16. Kajol Devgan, Veer-Zaara

We can all agree that Preity Zinta is a brilliant actress and has done a great job in the film. Even her chemistry with Shah Rukh is impeccable in the film. However, the role had first been offered to Kajol, as the chemistry between Shah Rukh and Kajol had made them a bankable pair which never failed. However, Kajol rejected the role.

17. Kangana Ranaut, The Dirty Picture

Kangana has worked hard to create the bold image of herself, where she is fearless and does not do roles where the women characters have less importance. However, when she was offered the film The Dirty Picture, she rejected it, stating that it involved her to over-expose.

18. Shah Rukh Khan, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S

The tall and bulky Sanjay Dutt had been offered to play Circuit initially and the role of Munna Bhai had gone to Shah Rukh Khan. Thankfully, the actor rejected the offer and then the casting directors had the chance to think again, which worked out best for the film.

19. Hrithik Roshan, Swades

The role of Mohan Bhargav had been offered to Hrithik before it went to Shah Rukh Khan. However he rejected it and then Shah Rukh was given the chance to do his magic. True to his image, he left a part of himself in the character and even Hrithik agreed to the fact that he could not have done as good a job as Shah Rukh.

20. Saif Ali Khan, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

This film contributed heavily to making Shah Rukh Khan the King Khan. Not just Shah Rukh Khan, the fans of the film too are thankful for the rejection, as the dialogues would not have had half the weight in Saif’s voice as they did in Shah Rukh’s voice.