Speaking to casting director Mukesh Chhabra, Farah said that Shah Rukh Khan always agrees to do her films, however, she always face challenges when it comes to casting other actors in her films. She disclosed Shah Rukh and Sushmita Sen were the only confirmed actors during the initial stages of Main Hoon Na.
Recalling the last-minute addition of Zayed Khan to the cast, Farah revealed that Hrithik Roshan was originally considered for the role before his skyrocketing success post the release of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. “After the film released, Hrithik became Hrithik and he left,” she added.
She then approached actors like Abhishek Bachchan and Sohail Khan for the role, but it did not work out between them. It wasn’t until she saw Zayed Khan’s performance in a theater that she found her leading man, just one or two months before filming commenced.
#CelebrityEvenings: From Bobby Deol to Sanya Malhotra, B-Town stars spotted in Mumbai
Similarly, the casting of Amrita Rao as the female lead underwent unexpected twists and turns. Farah said that she was initially eyeing Ayesha Takia for the role before her commitment to another project.
“Amrita Rao came on board just 15 days before the film’s shooting. I initially wanted to cast Ayesha Takia for Amrita’s role, but then Imtiaz Ali took her for Socha Na Tha. She told me that she is going for five days, but she didn’t come back for five weeks. Then I started looking for another female lead,” she revealed.
Farah also shared her attempts to cast Naseeruddin Shah, Kamal Haasan, and Nana Patekar for the negative role of a terrorist in the film. Despite her efforts, all three actors declined the offer, leading to Suniel Shetty eventually taking on the challenging role.
