Mani Ratnam shares why Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol didn't star in Alai Payuthey

Mani Ratnam revealed he planned Alai Payuthey with Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol but dropped it due to an unresolved climax. He cracked the ending during Dil Se and later made the film in Tamil with Madhavan.

Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol in a still from Dilwale; R Madhavan-Shalini in a still from Alai Payuthey

On Saturday, January 25, Mani Ratnam revealed that he had planned to reunite Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol for his 2000 smash Alai Payuthey but he scrapped the plan when he couldn't reach the film's conclusion. Rani Mukerji and Vivek Oberoi starred in the Hindi version of the romantic musical Saathiya, which was originally filmed in Tamil and featured R. Madhavan and Shalini. Two young individuals elope and get married in the film, but problems arise in their marriage quickly.

Shah Rukh Khan's interest in Alai Payuthey

His original idea, including Shah Rukh, was Alai Payuthey. Once the filmmaker explained the story to the superstar, he was on board with the idea of starring Kajol and him. However, Ratnam still did not understand the story's final component.

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Alai Payuthey is all about one day. They keep going back to that day when the accident happens and his wife goes missing. He’s trying to find her. That component was thus unavailable for Ratnam at that moment. This is why they switched to Dil Se Ratnam revealed at the G5A Retrospective open forum.

Transition to Dil Se

Producing his 1998 film Dil Se which starred Shah Rukh and Manisha Koirala, the filmmaker claimed to have finally figured out the finale of Alai Payuthey while filming the movie. Once he was finishing Dil Se, Ratnam was able to solve this problem, and he was still interested in doing it.

Shaad Ali directed Saathiya the Hindi adaptation of Alai Payuthey.

Iterative filmmaker process

According to Ratnam, there are a lot of iterations during the whole filming process, from brainstorming to casting to editing. One can never be quite certain that they have it right... They haven't given up yet. When they shoot, they are always searching for that extra something, even after they have finished writing.

Films, according to the filmmaker, are pieces of people and bits of life, and the goal is to make them seem like a reflection of entire lives. First, it's important to elevate the quality of the film. Actors must bring it to life; if they refuse, filmmakers can yell. Editing is an ongoing process of fine-tuning.

G5A, a non-profit organisation based in South Mumbai, is hosting a three-day retrospective on Ratnam from January 24–26, 2025. Movies including Nayakan Bombay, Raavan, Kannathil Muthamittal, Kaatru Veliyidai, Alai Payuthey, and Iruvar will be shown at the presentation.

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