Siblings in one film, lovers in the other

From playing star-struck lovers in one film to sharing warm brother-sister bonds in some other film, B-town actors have essayed these roles with élan
When it comes to casting its leading romantic jodis as siblings, Bollywood has taken the risk. Whether to get an initial buzz or just to try something different, filmmakers in the past have tried the unconventional.However, in the present scenario with hardly any multi-starrer films and no major ‘sister’ part in films, industry insiders say that this hut-ke casting looks to have become a thing of the past, in fact it would be safe to give it an RIP tag! So, when the top actors of B-ville and real life cousins Kareena Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor finally agreed to play siblings in Zoya Akhtar’s next dream project, interest in the bhai-behen jodi has revived. TOI rewinds the hands of time and tells you of the intriguing casting of bhai-behen jodis in Bollywood.
Sibling revelry
Think out of the box and the most striking example of brother-sister casting is that of the Shah Rukh Khan-Aishwarya Rai-starrer Josh. While they weren’t the stereotypical behen-bhai jodi in the film, their relationship was given a more contemporary edge! Apart from this, like a typical bhai SRK played protective of his little sister and even did the whole ‘beat-her-boyfriend-up’ routine in the true Bollywood style. Shah Rukh had then said, “You normally make a film with a boy and a girl. Here there is a boy and a girl who love each other a lot, but they are siblings!” Director Mansoor Khan had gone on record to say, “If the audience doesn’t like the film, then it may be considered suicidal. But, even then it doesn't mean they shouldn't have been cast as they have been!”
Lovers to siblings
Dev Anand-Zeenat Aman: Romantic jodis in Ishq Ishq Ishq, Prem Shastra, Warrant, Darling Darling and Kalabaaz, siblings in Hare Rama Hare Krishna
Amitabh Bachchan-Parveen Babi: After many hit films together Parveen did play Amitabh’s daughter in Desh Premee, where Big B had a double role (father and son).
Amitabh-Hema Malini: Starred in hits like Naseeb, Desh Premee, Satte Pe Satta, Nastik and the more recent Baghban, Babul and Veer Zaara. However, in Gehri Chaal (1973), Amitabh played an elder brother to Hema who was paired opposite Jeetendra.
Vinod Khanna- Saira Banu: Played lovers in Aarop in 1973 and a year later they were seen as siblings in B R Chopra’s Zameer
Salman Khan- Neelam: The Dabangg Khan was Neelam’s hero in Ek Ladka Ek Ladki and seven years played her loving brother in Hum Saath Saath Hain.
Sanjay Dutt- Raveena Tandon: Cousins in Kshatriya and lovers in Aatish
Anil Kapoor - Poonam Dhillon: Lovers in Laila, Kasam, Karma and siblings in 1989-released Abhimanyu
Kareena-Tusshar: Kareena played sister to Tusshar Kapoor in Golmaal 2, but Tusshar was her screen hero in his debut Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai in 2001.