'Akshay Kumar was original lead, John Abraham was my mother's choice': Deepa Mehta reveals cast of Oscar-nominated 'Water'

Twenty years after its release, Deepa Mehta’s acclaimed film, 'Water' stands as a monumental achievement in world cinema. The final installment of her celebrated "Elements Trilogy," the film followed the controversial 'Fire' (1996) and 'Earth' (1998), taking viewers into the heart of 1930s Varanasi to explore the social exile of widows.

In a report by Variety India, Mehta looked back on the film’s two-decade legacy, its turbulent production history, and the surprising reason behind its iconic casting.

John Abraham was a casting choice made by Mehta’s mother

While John Abraham’s portrayal of the idealistic Gandhian, Narayan, became a career-defining role, Mehta admits the choice was deeply personal rather than purely professional.

“John was my mother’s choice. She saw him and said he was a handsome guy, and I must cast him. That was it. I could never say no to my mother,” revealed Mehta.

This decision eventually led to one of the most unexpected yet successful transitions from commercial "action star" to sensitive performer in independent cinema.

The original cast of 'Water'

The film was eventually shot in Sri Lanka under the pseudonym River Moon, 'Water' had a completely different face. In 2000, production began in Varanasi with a powerhouse trio that never made it to the final screen.

Mehta revealed to Variety India that the original roles were intended for, Akshay Kumar in the role of Narayan (eventually played by John Abraham), Nandita Das in the role of Kalyani (eventually played by Lisa Ray) and Shabana Azmi in the role of Shakuntala (eventually played by Seema Biswas).

Despite the original actors even shaving their heads for the roles, violent protests and the destruction of sets by extremists forced the production to shut down for four years.

More about 'Water'

Set in 1938, 'Water' uses the arrival of a child widow, Chuyia, to expose the hypocrisy of religious traditions used to suppress women. Mehta notes that while the film was born of "trauma and anger" following the protests, she wouldn't change the final product.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”