Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali made a startling revelation in a recent interview regarding his debut directorial venture Socha Na Tha, stating that Shah Rukh Khan was the first choice as the lead actor. Released in 2005, the film has garnered a special place in the hearts of audiences for its engaging narrative and stellar performances by Abhay Deol and Ayesha Takia in the lead roles.
During his conversation with casting director Mukesh Chhabra on Mashable India's The Bombay Dream, Imtiaz disclosed that the initial producer of Socha Na Tha had envisioned Shah Rukh Khan as the lead actor. The filmmaker had expressed his disbelief, stating, "How will I meet Shah Rukh Khan? How will he do this film and if Shah Rukh will do this film then why will I need you?"
However, fate took a different turn as the casting process evolved, eventually leading to Abhay Deol stepping into the protagonist's shoes. Despite the deviation from the initial plan, Imtiaz showered praise upon Shah Rukh Khan, lauding his exceptional qualities both as an artist and as a human being.
"Shah Rukh Khan is an amazing person. His human qualities, he is maximum in everything that he does. He has a lot of capacity. As a human being, I will rate him very very high. He is more interested in other people than himself, that’s why he is such a big star,” he said.
In his earlier interview, Imtiaz had recalled the backstory of Socha Na Tha and revealed that Sunny Deol had summoned him after he heard from somewhere that Abhay is planning to do a film. He told Imtiaz, "Ye kya ho raha hai? Pehle main approve karunga fir ye film banegi. I will produce it."
Imtiaz's journey in Bollywood further intertwined with Shah Rukh Khan when they collaborated for Jab Harry Met Sejal in 2017, alongside Anushka Sharma.
The filmmaker is currently gearing up for his upcoming directorial venture Amar Singh Chamkila featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra. It is slated to premiere on April 12 on OTT platform.
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