There was a period when Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan could have become one of the most common on-screen couples in Bollywood. The two had already done three movies together —Josh, Mohabbatein and Devdas, the last of which proved to be one of their most notable achievements. However, off-screen there were several other movies in which they could have collaborated.
As per Aishwarya, she was going to work with Shah Rukh Khan in five movies, none of which came to fruition. The interesting part of the story here is that years later, she revealed that she was never told why these movies didn’t take place.
What Happened Between Aishwarya Rai And Shah Rukh Khan?
The story dates back to the early 2000s, when both the actors were at their peak of success in Bollywood. Aishwarya had emerged as one of the most successful actresses in Bollywood at that time, whereas Shah Rukh had already established himself as a superstar. There had been good onscreen chemistry between them before, and future collaborations were in the offing.
This is where the movie “Chalte Chalte” came in. Aishwarya was supposed to act opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the film of 2003 but then got replaced by Rani Mukherjee to become a very different episode of Bollywood history. This was not your ordinary change of actors; it was something else because of the circumstances surrounding Aishwarya at that point in time.
Why Was Aishwarya Rai Replaced In Chalte Chalte?
There have been a lot of rumours regarding Aishwarya’s replacement as a result of some disturbances involving Salman Khan, who at that time was dating the actress. All the rumours regarding this event have been different and until now there hasn’t been an official explanation about all the things which happened back then.
What we know for sure is the fact that Aishwarya was indeed replaced, and Shah Rukh admitted that it was very painful for her. In one of the interviews, Shah Rukh said that he realized that he was wrong about that and apologized to Aishwarya. Besides that, he said that it was done because of business reasons involving the movie.
In any case, Rani Mukherjee took her place, and the movie “Chalte Chalte” was released in 2003.
Which Other Shah Rukh Khan Films Was Aishwarya Supposed To Do?
And it is here that the story begins to get a bit complex. In later interviews, Aishwarya had talked about how she was dropped out of five movies with Shah Rukh Khan. Both Veer-Zaara and Kal Ho Naa Ho are two of the movies frequently discussed in retrospect, though not all of the details regarding Aishwarya’s involvement with those movies have been recorded.
The most interesting aspect of the whole story may be Aishwarya’s account herself. According to her, plans that were meant to take place had been cancelled without reason. And there hadn’t been any heated confrontations on her part too. Rather, Aishwarya claimed that she had chosen to not question anyone about it.
That is what remains an unanswered question till date.
Did Shah Rukh Khan And Aishwarya Rai Ever Work Together Again?
They did, although it took many years. From Devdas, released in 2002, it would take some years until the two were seen together in another big film. Their professional relationship finally made it to the silver screen once again. In 2016, Shah Rukh had a cameo appearance in Aishwarya’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. This was a short appearance instead of the reunion that the two stars’ fans would have wanted. Nevertheless, it still marked the coming together of the two in the same film after so many years.
And it is perhaps this reason that makes the old story interesting. Aishwarya and Shah Rukh already had chemistry, popularity, and even box office record. However, according to Aishwarya, there were about five lost possibilities of working together. Chalte Chalte is the collaboration that is spoken about the most.
There have been countless dream couples in Bollywood. At times, however, the movies that were never made become just as interesting as those that were made.
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Sunny Singh is a Journalist and Content Writer with a strong affinity for Bollywood and Hollywood insiders, music and more. Somewhat of a writer and poet himself, he thrives on giving life to words and deliver all you need to know about the entertainment sector.
The post Did You Know? Aishwarya Rai Was Supposed To Star In 5 Shah Rukh Khan Films, But None Happened — Here’s Why appeared first on NewsX.