Aamir Khan was supposed to do Akshaye Khanna’s role in Dil Chahta Hai but he ‘declined’ it ‘gracefully’; Farhan Akhtar reveals real reason

Aamir Khan was supposed to do Akshaye Khanna’s role in Dil Chahta Hai but he 'declined' it 'gracefully'; Farhan Akhtar reveals real reason

As a die-hard fan of Bollywood and Dil Chahta Hai, I can’t help but marvel at the serendipitous twists and turns that led to the creation of this cinematic masterpiece. Farhan Akhtar’s journey in making Dil Chahta Hai is a testament to his perseverance and grace, as he navigated through the complexities of casting the perfect trio for the film.


Farhan Akhtar’s first directorial movie, “Dil Chahta Hai,” featuring stars like Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna, and Saif Ali Khan, is one of the most cherished films among audiences. Interestingly, in a recent conversation, Farhan shared that Aamir was initially given the role of Akshaye Khanna’s character Siddharth, but Aamir turned it down as it was considered a ‘serious’ part.

In a recent conversation with Faye D’ Souza, Farhan Akhtar reminisced about his beloved movie “Dil Chahta Hai.” Although this classic film isn’t easy to cast, Akhtar shared that he eventually chose Akshaye Khanna, Saif Ali Khan, and Aamir Khan to join the project following discussions with many other actors.

In his own words, he shared that Akshaye Khanna showed him genuine kindness, as he had originally offered the role of Akash in Dil Chahta Hai to him, which eventually went to Aamir Khan. Interestingly, when he was looking to cast the film, he considered two other young actors, namely Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan, both of whom had just one movie under their belts at that time.

Instead of Aamir being available for the character of Akash in Dil Chahta Hai, repeated setbacks forced Akhtar to opt for actors from an older generation due to Aamir’s preference for lighter roles following his commitment to serious ones, as he explained.

In a difficult situation, Farhan was faced with a decision due to Aamir Khan’s condition, as he had previously agreed upon Akshaye for the role of Akash. However, it turned out to be less complicated than he initially thought. Akshaye graciously informed Farhan that he adored the film and felt it needed to be produced. He asserted, “I will take on that part.” It’s not common to find actors who relinquish roles so amiably, as Farhan commented.

In 2001, the popular movie “Dil Chahta Hai” was launched. Alongside the main trio, it featured Preity Zinta, Dimple Kapadia, Sonali Kulkarni, Ayub Khan, Suchitra Pillai, Rajat Kapoor, and others in significant roles.

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2024-08-27 14:56