How Hrithik Roshan Became An Overnight Star After 'Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai', A Film Rejected By Shah Rukh Khan

Shanaya Kapoor hasn't made her Bollywood debut yet, but she is scrutinised for her everything she does. The N-word often leads to trolling in her name. However, year ago, when nepotism wasn't a popular word and star kids were away from the social media limelight, Hrithik Roshan made his debut in the year 2000, and he became an overnight star.

How Hrithik Roshan became an overnight star after Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai

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Nobody expected that Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai will become the highest grossing movie of 2000. Hrithik's father launched him a film in which he essayed not one but double roles - of Raj and Rohit. While Raj was a smart and dashing NRI, Rohit was a sweet, humble and romantic boy.

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The movie was a commercial potboiler and had all the elements to make it a hit - from romance to action and revenge. Hrithik Roshan's impeccable dance skill was cherry on the top. The hook step of Ek Pal Ka Jeena is still popular. Back then, when the song had released, it was played on all music channels. Hrithik went on to become the face of many magazine covers. He achieved overnight success with just one fim, but did you know he was the first choice for the role?

Did you Shah Rukh Khan was the first choice for Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai?

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Rakesh Roshan wanted to do this movie with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. However, after Koyla failed at the box office, things didn't work out reportedly. However, everyone including Hrithik Roshan himself thought that the script required a newcomer. That is when Rakesh Roshan brought his own son on board to do this film, and rest, as they say is history.

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Talking about his journey, Hrithik had shared with Galatta News, "My father told me time and time again, ¡®I¡¯m not going to make a film for you, you¡¯re on your own¡¯. So, I was doing screen tests, I did a couple of them, I was looking for work. For my photo session, I had no money. I had promised Daboo Ratnani that I will pay him once I start to earn. All of this was going on, and suddenly, I got this offer. And all I knew was that I had to satisfy my director."

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This is when Rakesh Roshan thought of casting him in the movie. "When he heard that I was doing screen tests, and was getting offers, maybe he sat down one day and thought, ¡®Yeh kya ho raha hai, am I losing out?"

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He added, "That, and he was making a film at that time with Shah Rukh or Aamir which fell through. And he had another thought, and while he was working on the scripting of that film with all the writers ¡ª and I was a part of this process ¡ª some weeks into it, everyone started feeling that this film needs a new boy or new girl. You have seen big stars do these roles, and even I was a part of that, that noise. Even I was like, ¡®Yes, papa, I don¡¯t want to see Shah Rukh do this¡¯. And, when this got very repetitive, he said, ¡®That¡¯s not what I had in mind, I¡¯m taking you in the film¡¯."

Did you know Kareena Kapoor rejected the film after shooting for a significant portion?

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Yes, not Ameesha Patel but Kareena Kapoor was the first choice for Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai. Kareena, in fact, shot for the film for a few days and then walked out to do Refugee with Abhishek Bachchan.

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Revealing about the same, Rakesh Roshan had once said that this happened after her mother Babita said that they should start shooting with the dialogues and not a song. "I said, No Babita, I think a song is better because she'll be very familiar to the whole unit. It'll be much easier. To say mouth dialogue and to act is a little more difficult than to lip-sync to a song. Of course, we will train her. Babita was a little adamant about it. So I said, This way I cannot work because tomorrow you might say, dont do this, dont do that. I think its better we part ways because we are good friends. So, we parted ways."

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Also Read: From 'Queen' To 'Ram Leela', 11 Super-Hit Films You Won't Believe Kareena Kapoor Khan Rejected

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