- By Srishti Pandey
- Mon, 06 Jan 2025 12:19 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Junaid Khan, the son of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, recently opened up about losing out on the lead role in Kiran Rao's directorial film Laapataa Ladies. Despite not being cast, Junaid shared that the decision did not affect his relationship with his stepmother, Kiran Rao.
Junaid made his acting debut with the web project Maharaj, earning praise for his performance. However, he revealed that he had auditioned for multiple high-profile roles, including the lead in Laapataa Ladies and a part in his father’s film, Laal Singh Chaddha.
Speaking about Laal Singh Chaddha, Junaid said, “I tested for it, along with Kiran Rao. She played my mother in the screen test. We shot 7-8 scenes over four days, which amounted to about 20 minutes of footage. It was a test for me as well. Papa wanted to see how I dealt with the material. Ultimately, it didn’t work out, largely due to budget reasons. It was a very expensive film to put a new person in.” The film, starring Aamir Khan in the titular role, was an official remake of the 1994 American classic Forrest Gump.
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Junaid shared his thoughts on losing the role in Laapataa Ladies to Sparsh Shrivastava. “I did a screen test for the film, but Kiran just said, ‘Sparsh Shrivastava is better for the part,’ and I agree with her. He was better suited for the role,” Junaid admitted.
Despite not being cast, Junaid maintains a warm relationship with Kiran Rao. Calling her a “very fun and warm person,” he said their equation remains unaffected by professional decisions. Directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan and Jyoti Deshpande, Laapataa Ladies tells the story of two young newlywed brides who get exchanged during a train ride to their husbands' homes. The film features an ensemble cast, including Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan.
The film was selected as India’s official entry for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Film category. However, it did not make it to the final shortlist.