When Akshay Kumar & Vidya Balan Were Set To Star In The Remake Of This Bollywood Classic

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar must be riding high after the widespread critical acclaim of his latest film, Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, released in theatres on April 18, 2025. But did you know that the prolific actor was once considered to play the lead role in a rehashed version of a widely acclaimed Bollywood classic movie? And his co-star for that film would have been Vidya Balan. Sadly, the film never got made. Read on to know the details.

The Bollywood Classic Remake Which Never Got Made

According to a report by India Glitz, Rituparno Ghosh was reportedly set to direct Akshay Kumar and possibly Vidya Balan for a remake of Vijay Anand’s cult romantic drama Guide. The film was tentatively and aptly titled Rahgir. If the film had been greenlit back then, then Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan would have essayed the roles originally played by legendary actor Dev Anand and veteran actress Waheeda Rehman.

One of the stakeholders behind the potential Guide rehash was Pritish Nandy. However, the rehashed version of Guide never got made. Interestingly, Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan shared screen space later in several films such as Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Heyy Babyy, and Mangal Mangal.

Guide Plot, Cast, & Source Material

Directed by celebrated filmmaker Vijay Anand (Teesri Manzil, Jewel Thief), Guide was released in theatres in 1965. It was based on R.K. Narayan’s English-language 1958 novel, The Guide. The film’s basic plot follows a freelance tour guide (played by Dev Anand), who meets and falls in love with the neglected wife (Waheeda Rehman) of an ageing archaeologist. However, things soon take a dramatic turn and change the lives of both the protagonist and others in ways they could never have imagined.

Guide Critical Acclaim & Awards

Vijay Anand’s Guide received highly positive feedback from critics and became a big box office hit. It bagged Filmfare Awards in multiple categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Moreover, it was also selected as India’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.

Can Guide Still Be Remade/Rehashed?

Yes, Guide is such a timeless film that can still be remade or rehashed for the modern Indian audience. But the casting and the director have to be spot-on. To appeal to contemporary moviegoers, actors like Ranbir Kapoor or Ranveer Singh could be considered to star alongside Alia Bhatt or Deepika Padukone. And since the eminent filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh is no longer with us, a talented director like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rajkumar Hirani, or perhaps Zoya Akhtar could be roped in to direct the ambitious film. What do you think?

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