Throwback: When Aishwarya Rai said no to working with Shah Rukh Khan
24 Aug 2024 4:00 PM IST
Throwback: When Aishwarya Rai said no to working with Shah Rukh Khan
In Bollywood’s glamorous realm where stardom often dictates decisions, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s refusal to accept a role in Happy New Year (2014) surprised many people. Directed by Farah Khan and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Abhishek Bachchan among other stars; the film looked like it had all ingredients of being commercially successful. It was potentially another feather in Aishwarya’s cap given its ensemble cast as well as heist-based storyline. Nonetheless, she chose not to be part of it despite being known for picking her projects carefully.
In a past interview, Aishwarya spoke about her choice. She said that she could not resist the offer and it seemed to be an enjoyable venture. “Yeah, I was approached for this film and thought it would be such a fun thing to do. I understood that we will have a ball doing that,” Aishwarya added. However, the casting dynamics, notably the participation of her spouse Abhishek Bachchan, were pivotal in making her say no.
Aishwarya disclosed that they were married at that moment so would not have been cast as a couple. For instance, there was no romantic involvement between Abhishek’s character and hers which could make for an odd on-screen situation. “It wouldn’t have worked out with both me and Abhishek in the film and not being paired with each other. We were never going to play opposite one another in such a case.” It would just be weird beyond belief right? That is why I had to say no,” she clarified.
In fact, only Deepika Padukone was cast as the sole female lead who played alongside Shah Rukh Khan during Happy New Year. This can partly explain why Aishwarya declined based on how few other significant roles there were for women in this ensemble kind of cast. On many occasions, Aishwarya has picked characters that highlight her talent alone rather than disappearing into the larger group.
A subsequent decision made by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to turn down Happy New Year is another example of this trend among others through her professional life where many of them turned out to become blockbusters like Troy, Munnabhai MBBS, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and Krrish. These choices show how confident she feels about her path as well as how much she values those roles which match both her lifestyle and the professional one.
Hence, Aishwarya’s decision to reject the film Happy New Year is indicative of her prioritization of her career over conformity to societal expectations. Despite the success of this movie and it being among the biggest hits of 2014 that once again sealed the Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone pair as a great onscreen couple, Aishwarya was more focused on her journey in Bollywood.
In a past interview, Aishwarya spoke about her choice. She said that she could not resist the offer and it seemed to be an enjoyable venture. “Yeah, I was approached for this film and thought it would be such a fun thing to do. I understood that we will have a ball doing that,” Aishwarya added. However, the casting dynamics, notably the participation of her spouse Abhishek Bachchan, were pivotal in making her say no.
Aishwarya disclosed that they were married at that moment so would not have been cast as a couple. For instance, there was no romantic involvement between Abhishek’s character and hers which could make for an odd on-screen situation. “It wouldn’t have worked out with both me and Abhishek in the film and not being paired with each other. We were never going to play opposite one another in such a case.” It would just be weird beyond belief right? That is why I had to say no,” she clarified.
In fact, only Deepika Padukone was cast as the sole female lead who played alongside Shah Rukh Khan during Happy New Year. This can partly explain why Aishwarya declined based on how few other significant roles there were for women in this ensemble kind of cast. On many occasions, Aishwarya has picked characters that highlight her talent alone rather than disappearing into the larger group.
A subsequent decision made by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to turn down Happy New Year is another example of this trend among others through her professional life where many of them turned out to become blockbusters like Troy, Munnabhai MBBS, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and Krrish. These choices show how confident she feels about her path as well as how much she values those roles which match both her lifestyle and the professional one.
Hence, Aishwarya’s decision to reject the film Happy New Year is indicative of her prioritization of her career over conformity to societal expectations. Despite the success of this movie and it being among the biggest hits of 2014 that once again sealed the Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone pair as a great onscreen couple, Aishwarya was more focused on her journey in Bollywood.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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