Throughout her two-decades-long career, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has rejected several big-budget films that did not align with her artistic vision. While some of them went on to becomes huge hits, some didn’t. One of them was Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
Aishwarya was offered the role of Rani Mukerji’s character Tina Malhotra in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, who played Shah Rukh Khan’s first love interest in the film. However, Aishwarya had rejected the role in the fear of being ‘lynched’ by critics and masses alike.
Aishwarya told Filmfare, that she was not okay with the portrayal of the character in the film, and thought that the backlash she would receive might get tense.
Aishwarya said, “If I had done the film, it would have been tittered that, ‘Look, Aishwarya Rai is back to doing what she did in her modelling days—leaving her hair straight, wearing minis, and pouting glamorously into the camera.’ Ultimately, the hero goes back to the more real person. I know if I had done Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I would have been lynched.”
To those unaware, Rani Mukerji’s role was also offered to Twinkle Khanna, Urmila Matondkar, and Tabu, who had all rejected it for various reasons.
Rani Mukerji’s role as Tina Malhotra went on to become one of her most iconic roles. Considering Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is a cult classic in the rom-com genre, Rani’s character was much loved by the audience and still holds a special place.
On the work front, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was last seen in Ponniyin Selvan: II (2023).
