Shah Rukh Khan Wasn’t Meant To Die In Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se Original Script, Revealed Manisha Koirala; ‘They Changed It Last Minute
Manisha Koirala revealed Shah Rukh Khan's character was originally not meant to die in Dil Se. Still, the script was changed at the last minute, altering the film’s iconic ending.
Manisha Koirala reveals a last-minute script change in Dil Se: Shah Rukh Khan’s character wasn’t supposed to die ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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Shah Rukh Khan’s character in Mani Ratnam’s romantic thriller Dil Se (1998) wasn’t supposed to die, and it wasn’t in the original script. The film’s lead heroine, Manisha Koirala, revealed this.
In the film, Manisha Koirala plays a female terrorist, and in the end, her character dies in a suicide bombing along with Shah Rukh Khan. However, in a recent interview with a news agency, ANI, the Dil Se actress revealed that Shah Rukh Khan’s character wasn’t supposed to die. Per the original script, only her character was supposed to be dead in the end.
“In the original script that we had agreed on, the cause was larger than love for both the characters. In the original version, he lets her die, which was agreeable to all of us, but they changed it last minute,” Indian Express quoted Manisha Koirala.
She stated that the makers wanted to portray a big sacrifice from Shah Rukh Khan’s character, which she said wasn’t in the original script. In the final version, Koirala said that the makers wanted to show that his love was so intense for her and that he couldn’t allow her to go, nor could she allow himself to live without her. He tries to stop her and dies during the process. She said this whole thing wasn’t part of the original script.
She gave her opinion on the script, saying that she loved the original script, as there was no way the two characters could have been unified. “Sometimes unrequited love is more interesting than a completed loved story,” Koirala said.
The film also marked the debut of another female actor, Preity Zinta, who played Shah Rukh Khan’s love interest. Dil Se was also considered the final installment in Mani Ratnam’s trilogy after Roja (1992) and Bombay (1995).
The film was also a massive success at the box office, grossing Rs 28.40 crore against the budget of Rs 11.5 crore. It was a musical blockbuster, as the songs were composed by A.R. Rahman. Tracks like ‘Chaiyyaa Chaiyaa’ and ‘Dil Se Re’ are still popular today. Rahman also received the National Film Award for Dil Se’s music.
