Did you know? Sushmita Sen wasn’t Farah Khan’s first choice for ‘Main Hoon Na’ with Shah Rukh Khan

Shah Rukh Khan and Sushmita Sen’s ‘Main Hoon Na’ is still one of the most loved movies ever made. Directed by Farah Khan, the film also starred Amrita Rao, Zayed Khan, and Suniel Shetty in important roles. Fans adored the chemistry between SRK and Sushmita, but interestingly, Sushmita wasn’t Farah’s first choice for the part. In her recent vlog, Farah revealed that she had initially planned to cast Sameera Reddy instead.

Sushmita Sen was not Farah Khan’s first choice

Interestingly, the iconic film was first planned with Sameera Reddy instead of Sushmita Sen. During a recent visit to Sameera’s home in Goa, accompanied by her cook Dilip, Farah opened up about this surprising detail in their warm conversation, a revelation that left Sameera just as stunned.




During their chat, Farah opened up about how she had first noticed Sameera in her popular music video ‘Ahista’. Reminiscing about those days, the filmmaker said, “Nobody knows but I had considered you for Main Hoon Na in Sushmita Sen’s role. I had seen your song, Aahista Kijiye Baatein and you were dressed in Indian wear." Hearing this, a surprised Sameera exclaimed, “Oh My God! I want to know why you didn’t take me." Farah then explained, “Because by then you had taken up Maine Dil Tujhko Diya,” referring to the actress’ debut opposite Sohail Khan in 2002. The ‘Race’ star looked visibly disappointed after learning the surprising backstory.

Sushmita Sen made Chandni iconic in ‘Main Hoon Na’

In ‘Main Hoon Na’, Sushmita portrayed Chandni, a stylish college professor whose stunning saree looks became a fashion craze of the time. The 2004 release turned out to be a massive box-office success and also marked Farah Khan’s first outing as a director. While rumours recently hinted at a possible sequel to the film, Farah has firmly denied them, putting all speculation to rest.

Sameera Reddy carved her own path

Meanwhile, Sameera Reddy has starred in several memorable films over the years, such as ‘De Dana Dan’, ‘Race’, ‘No Entry’, ‘Musafir’, and many others.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”