PremiumNot Ajay Devgn but Shah Rukh Khan was the first choice for Dilwale but here's why SRK did not do the film - Find out
Karan Razdan, the director of Dilwale has now revealed how Shah Rukh Khan was first approached for the film but he passed it because of this reason.
Not Ajay Devgn But Shah Rukh Khan Was The First Choice For Dilwale
Last Updated: 05.21 PM, Mar 30, 2025
The treasure trove of trivia about movies and shows is always an exciting one. Over the years, we have heard numerous behind-the-scenes stories about popular films and iconic characters, but there is always one piece of trivia that catches us off guard.
Take Dilwale (1994), for instance—starring Ajay Devgn, Raveena Tandon, and Suniel Shetty—it was one of the biggest box office hits of the year. The film revived careers, established new stars, and continues to have a loyal fanbase even today.
But what if we told you that Dilwale was originally meant to star Shah Rukh Khan instead of Ajay Devgn? However, due to a specific condition SRK set, the filmmaker ultimately chose Devgn over him. Sounds surprising? Well, it’s true!
Shah Rukh Khan Was the Original Choice for Dilwale
Director Karan Razdan took a bold gamble when he shaped Dilwale back in the 90s. In a recent interview, he revealed that he had written the lead role with Shah Rukh Khan in mind and even narrated the script to him. SRK liked the film, but there was one problem—he wanted to change the ending. Here’s what happened next.
Recalling the casting process in an interview with Hindustan Times, Karan Razdan said: "The role that I gave to Ajay Devgn in Dilwale was originally written for Shah Rukh Khan. I went to his house to narrate the story, and he liked the script. But he told me one thing: ‘Karan, at the end, the heroine should go with the other guy.’"
Karan refused to change the film’s ending, leading to SRK stepping away from the p roject. "He said, ‘Then I won’t do it, if I can’t sacrifice.’" Following this, Karan immediately approached Ajay Devgn on his film set and offered him the role. "He readily accepted it. We then cast Suniel Shetty for the second lead role."
Subhash Ghai Thought Dilwale Would Fail!
Karan Razdan also revealed an interesting incident involving veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai. When Dilwale was 80% complete, he decided to show it to Ghai. However, Ghai was not impressed and predicted the film’s failure. "He told me, ‘If you want to cry, cry right now, because you are anyway going to cry on the film’s release day.’" Razdan recalled asking why Ghai felt that way, to which the filmmaker gave a harsh response: "Do you have a grudge against Ajay Devgn? He is not even presentable as a mad person."
At the time, Suniel Shetty was still new in the industry, so Ghai didn’t comment much on him. However, he was skeptical about Raveena Tandon, as she had delivered 12 consecutive flops. "People used to tease me, saying, ‘The 13th flop will be yours!’" Razdan recalled. Despite these doubts and challenges, Dilwale turned out to be a massive success at the box office, proving everyone wrong!
The world of cinema is filled with fascinating stories, and we at OTTplay are here to bring you more such insights from the world of streaming and films. Stay tuned!