Did you know not Kajol but Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was Karan Johar’s first choice for Anjali’s role in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham?

Did you know not Kajol but Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was Karan Johar’s first choice for Anjali’s role in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham?

As a dedicated follower of Bollywood’s intricate web of stories, I find it fascinating to delve into the behind-the-scenes narratives that shape our beloved films. Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is a classic example of this. It’s quite interesting to learn that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was initially Karan Johar’s choice for the role of Anjali, but fate had other plans.


The movie “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” directed by Karan Johar, boasts a huge fan base and has even achieved cult status. Interestingly, the character of Anjali, played powerfully by Kajol, has struck a chord with cinema lovers. However, you might not realize that the filmmaker originally envisioned Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for this role.

In a past conversation with Komal Nahta, Karan Johar shared that his original plan was to have Aishwarya Rai play the role of Anjali. He expressed concerns about Kajol’s availability due to her personal circumstances and desire to start a family.

In the process of selecting actors for Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, I discovered that Kajol wouldn’t be available due to her recent marriage and potential plans to start a family. I decided to reach out to Aishwarya instead. To my surprise, when I visited Kajol at her studio at 3 p.M., I expected her to decline the offer, perhaps causing us both to shed tears and part ways. I felt sad because Kajol had previously worked with me on other projects. He expressed these thoughts.

Contrary to what Karan Johar had anticipated, Kajol surprised us all by accepting the role in the film, making a meeting with Aishwarya Rai unnecessary. However, Karan openly acknowledged that Aishwarya was his first choice, and from then on, it seemed like she had mysteriously gone “missing” in our project’s lineup.

In an interview with DNA, Aish also discussed the script for a film that Karan brought to her. She mentioned that both the script and character underwent changes, which she found to be different from what was eventually portrayed on-screen. Aish expressed certainty about these alterations. Referring to Kajol as ‘fabulous,’ Aish reminisced about not being able to work with Karan at that time.

In 2001, the multi-talented family saga titled “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham” was introduced, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Jaya Bachchan. Guided by the creative mind of Karan Johar, this film follows a wealthy Indian family who face challenges when their eldest adopted son (SRK) marries a woman (Kajol) from a more modest background, causing rifts within their close-knit group.

In the course of the story, the younger sibling enters the scene and becomes crucial in mending the relationship between their father and elder sibling, thus introducing a significant and heartfelt narrative thread to the movie.

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2024-10-06 18:07