- By Sidhi Agarwall
- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:11 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Hindi remake of Ghajini is remembered as a turning point in Bollywood history. Starring Aamir Khan, the 2008 blockbuster became the first Indian film to earn Rs 100 crore net at the domestic box office, setting new commercial benchmarks. However, producer Boney Kapoor has now revealed that Aamir was not his first choice for the film. Instead, he had planned to remake the Tamil hit with Salman Khan in the lead.
In an interview with Rediff, Boney Kapoor shared that after watching the original Tamil version in 2006, he felt Salman Khan would be perfect for the role. Explaining his vision, he said, “In the first half of Tere Naam, Salman sports long hair, but for the post-interval portions, when he is confined to an ashram for the mentally ill, he has shaved his head. I thought that with his chiselled physique and his hair pruned, he would be a perfect fit for Suriya's role in Ghajini.” Boney believed Salman’s physical presence and intensity would suit the character of a man driven by revenge and trauma.
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Boney Kapoor then tried to acquire the Hindi remake rights for Ghajini. He approached the film’s makers, who informed him that the rights were owned by Allu Aravind, who had distributed the film in Telugu. To move things forward, Boney contacted producer Madhu Mantena, who was close to Allu Aravind. Recalling the situation, Boney said, “I reached out to Madhu Mantena, who was friends with Allu Aravind, for the purchase of rights. Madhu kept assuring me, 'Ho jayega (It will happen).'” However, things took an unexpected turn when actor Pradeep Rawat, who later played the villain in the Hindi version, showed the Tamil film to Aamir Khan.
Boney Kapoor revealed that while Aamir was considering the film, he was left waiting with no clear answer. He said, “For almost six months, while he was debating over whether he wanted to do the Hindi remake of Ghajini, Madhu kept me dangling. When Aamir finally consented, Madhu Mantena and Allu Aravind decided to produce the film themselves, and I lost out.” This decision meant that Boney Kapoor no longer had control over the remake, and the project went ahead with Aamir Khan as the lead.
About Ghajini
The final version of Ghajini starred Aamir Khan, Asin, Jiah Khan and Pradeep Rawat. Released on Christmas 2008, the film became a historic success and remains one of the most influential films in modern Hindi cinema.