Superstar Kareena was asked recently by the media how she felt regarding the successes of her rejects ( Queen and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela ). She allegedly retorted, “I feel glad to give work to the rest of the actors. I hope they (actresses) become stars as I have rejected big films.” Considering the dry run she’s having, Bebo has sure made up for it with her caustic tongue. Not only did she miss out on plum projects and disturb the delicate balance that actors have to manage with filmmakers and studios, but she also aggravated it by looking like a really bad loser.
1. For Lagaan , Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. and 3 Idiots : Shah Rukh Khan
We have no evidence on how SRK reacted when these movies started doing exceptionally well, with the last one even making box office history. We will never know. But SRK was the first choice of Ashutosh Gowariker and Rajkumar Hirani (twice), who had to choose someone else, after SRK turned them down. Once, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra had remarked that Shah Rukh is his number one go-to star for every script! “When he says no, we look at someone else,” he had reportedly said. But it seemed more of a sarcastic comment as the superstar had refused two of his big films. For the 3 Idiots refusal, the news doing the rounds was that he wanted director Rajkumar Hirani to make it for his own banner and not Vidhu’s!
2. For Queen , Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela , Kaho Naa Pyar Hai , Kal Ho Naa Ho and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam : Kareena Kapoor Khan
Possibly, we can add Karan Johar’s Shuddhi to that list. The last time she refused a Karan Johar project ( Kal Ho Naa Ho ), the animosity between her and the filmmaker took years to end. Kareena has often been candid enough to talk of the number of films she has rejected, to the point of being sarcastic. “I am very moody that way,” she had confessed to us in an interview. “Everything may be going well and I may suddenly walk out because of something I don’t agree with. Once I walk out, I don’t regret anything.”
3. For The Dirty Picture : Kangna Ranaut
Kangna was fighting her way to the top. Along the way came Ekta Kapoor’s The Dirty Picture . And Kangna refused. To be fair to her, it wasn’t an easy movie to say ‘yes’ to. Vidya Balan, who ended up getting accolades for the film, has often spoken of the amount of thinking she put in before she gave her consent to the movie. But the truth remains that Kangna refused. The flipside is that she did a Tanu Weds Manu meanwhile. And a Queen , while she refused Dedh Ishqiya also.
4. For Raanjhanaa and Shuddh Desi Romance : Shahid Kapoor
While he was doing movies such as Phata Poster Nikla Hero and R…Rajkumar , Shahid had been approached for Raanjhanaa and Shuddh Desi Romance . We hear he had date issues for Raanjhanaa , and as far as Shuddh Desi Romance is concerned, he reportedly didn’t want to act alongside newcomers. Since we still love him for Kaminey and Jab We Met , let’s not even talk of the box office success of his ‘rejected’ films.
5. For Darr: A Violent Love Story : Aamir Khan
He may be last on the list, but we are sure it’s not a decision that Aamir can forget in a hurry. The actor thought playing negative wouldn’t take his career anywhere. And this gave birth to his biggest rival and the industry’s superstar — Shah Rukh Khan. Aamir’s decision shows how it doesn’t help to be meticulously planned always. Sometimes one should trust one’s instinct as well. Wonder if Aamir regrets that decision!
