2014’s Bollywood film, Happy New Year, directed by Farah Khan and starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, was a massive hit. But did you know that Deepika wasn’t the first choice for the role? Farah had also offered the film to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, but she turned it down.
The reason was Abhishek Bachchan, who was already part of the project. Aishwarya felt it could have been a good opportunity, especially since Abhishek was involved and the role required her to share chemistry with Shah Rukh Khan.
Why did Aishwarya turn down the film?
An old statement by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has resurfaced, in which she discussed turning down the film. She believed it could have been the perfect comeback vehicle for her after the birth of her daughter, Aaradhya. In the clip, Aishwarya said, ‘When I was approached for that film… honestly, it would have been a great comeback film after becoming a mother. If you get to play a role in such a huge blockbuster, a film that releases and achieves guaranteed box office success, you can already imagine it. ‘Oh my God, I would have had that experience.’ I mean, what a fantastic film it was.’
The actor added, ‘But I didn’t know how it would work with AB. I mean, he was already part of it. So, I told Farah that if you were to ask me separately, I would definitely do it. I mean, Manwa Laage would have been amazing, but I felt the dynamic wouldn’t look right. Why leave room for such debate when people are watching the film?’
Aishwarya’s reasoning
As an actor, this wasn’t an easy decision for her, but she said she ultimately made the choice as a wife. Aishwarya explained, ‘It wasn’t easy to step away from work as a professional and an actor, but as a wife, that is the decision you arrive at.’
More deets about the film
Farah Khan’s Happy New Year, produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment, starred Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani, Sonu Sood, Vivaan Shah and Jackie Shroff in key roles. Released in 2014, the heist comedy was one of the year’s major Hindi releases and was written by Farah Khan, Althea Kaushal and Mayur Puri.
Made on a reported budget of around Rs 150 crore, the film collected Rs 199.95 crore net in India, with its India gross reaching around Rs 295 crore. Its worldwide gross stood at approximately Rs 397 crore, including around Rs 102 crore from overseas markets, according to Sacnilk. The film was classified as a super hit.
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