- By Srishti Pandey
- Wed, 29 Jan 2025 10:15 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Sooraj Barjatya and Salman Khan have delivered several iconic films together, including Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Hum Saath Saath Hain. However, when it came to casting Vivah (2006), the filmmaker chose Shahid Kapoor instead of Salman. The reason? He needed actors who looked young and innocent.
In a recent conversation with Digital Commentary, Sooraj Barjatya revealed that after Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon failed at the box office, Salman reached out to him, saying, “Let’s work on something.” However, at that time, the filmmaker didn’t have a suitable story for the superstar. Instead, he was working on Vivah, a project inspired by a story given to him by his father.
Barjatya explained his decision, saying, “I knew Salman wouldn’t fit in Vivah because he was a major star… This film needed innocence and youth, and age doesn’t stop for anyone. That’s why I cast Shahid and Amrita (Rao).”
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Interestingly, Shahid Kapoor himself wasn’t sure about taking on the role. At the time, he was struggling with multiple box-office failures and even requested to be replaced in Vivah. However, Barjatya stood by him. Shahid recalled in an interview with Bollywood Hungama, “Sooraj ji told me, ‘If you know what to do in front of the camera, just do that and leave the rest to me.’”
Vivah turned out to be a career-defining film for Shahid Kapoor. It became one of the highest-grossing films of 2006 and remains a beloved classic. The film also cemented Amrita Rao’s place in Bollywood, making it one of the most memorable projects of her career.