Filmmaker and producer Farah Khan recently recalled that she got irritated by veteran actor Nasseruddin Shah so much that she completed 10 days of shoot in just 6 days. Here’s what Farah had to say.
Mumbai: In the world of Bollywood, one filmmaker who needs no introduction is Farah Khan. She shared an interesting anecdote about filming her first-ever movie, “Main Hoon Na”. The role of the antagonist had initially been propositioned to Naseeruddin Shah, but he declined. However, destiny had another plan and Naseeruddin ended up playing the part of Shah Rukh Khan’s father. Once on board, his performance was so incredible and efficient, that he wrapped up his scenes in just six days instead of the initially allotted ten. Scroll down to find more details.
Farah Khan Recalls Bearing Naseeruddin Shah
Farah during a conversation with IFTDA for its official YouTube channel, Farah said, “That’s a very long story. Naseer will kill me. I had first gone to Naseer to play the villain’s role. We went to many people for the villain’s role. We first went to Naseer and he made a fuss and you know how Naseer is… he is very moody. He said I can’t do it (sic).”
The director shared her casting journey – how she reached out to Nana Patekar and Kamal Haasan for the role but was turned down. Conversely, Suniel Shetty welcomed the challenge of playing the antagonist with open arms. Upon confirming Raghavan for a part, there was still a pivotal role left to cast – that of Shah Rukh’s Dad. Hence, she found herself knocking at the door of Naseeruddin Shah once more.
Farah further added, “Then there was a 10-day role of Shah Rukh’s father for which I went back to Naseer. I said abhi yeh toh kar lo.” Naseeruddin at last agreed to play the part in the film. Farah continued, “Naseer ne mujhe itna tang kia ki maine 10 din ka role 6 din mein khatam kar dia. I said iska shooting jaldi khatam karo but after that he has been wonderful. I love Naseer (Naseer troubled me so much that I finished his 10-day shoot in just 6 days . I said finish his shoot quickly) (sic).”
About Main Hoon Na
The 2004 film was backed by dynamic duo, Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan. With their support, the film soared to success and even today, is regarded as a classic. The film boasted a star-studded cast that included household names like Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Zayed Khan, Amrita Rao, and esteemed actors including Kirron Kher, Kabir Bedi, Naseeruddin Shah, Suniel Shetty, Boman Irani, and Murali Sharma, all of whom molded crucial roles.
