When Deepika Padukone Was Set To Debut With Happy New Year Instead Of Om Shanti Om

Did you know Deepika Padukone’s debut role was rarely in Om Shanti Om? Discover how fate took a different turn for the actress and how her career could have looked had Happy New Year been her first film!

- February 8, 2025 | 1:24 PM IST

Deepika Padukone Bollywood Debut (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Deepika Padukone has become one of Bollywood’s most celebrated leading ladies, with a career that spans many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. Widely recognized for her breakthrough performance in Om Shanti Om (2007), the film directed by Farah Khan not only marked her debut but also set the stage for her transformation into a top-tier star.

However, many fans might not know that Deepika was originally slated to debut in Farah Khan’s then-upcoming project, Happy New Year. Although Happy New Year eventually emerged as a high-octane heist and dance comedy released several years later, Om Shanti Om ultimately launched her career.

While Happy New Year is now praised for its comedy, it was not loved much by fans upon its release. Therefore, fate could have been very different had Deepika made her debut with that movie instead of Om Shanti Om, one of the most iconic Bollywood movies of all time.

SRK had rejected the first script of Happy New Year, leading Farah to work on Om Shanti Om.

Farah Khan once sat down for an interview with Anupama Chopra on Film Companion and discussed the making of Om Shanti Om. In 2006, she started working on a movie titled Happy New Year. As per IndiaFM News Bureau, Farah even cast Shah Rukh Khan for the role, and Deepika Padukone was chosen to make her Bollywood debut. Farah had seen her in Himesh Reshamiyaa’s “Naam Hai Tera” and wanted to cast her in the movie.

However, as revealed by Farah, SRK rejected the first draft of Happy New Year, and the movie was then put on an indefinite hiatus. Meanwhile, Farah began working on another movie, the story of which she had conceived while in London. This was Om Shanti Om, and Farah Khan chose to cast SRK and Deepika for the movie. This movie marked Padukone’s first Hindi film and is still considered one of the greatest Bollywood debuts ever.

Farah Khan then worked on Tees Maar Khan in 2010 and Happy New Year in 2014. Both movies were critical flops upon release. However, years later, the two movies are considered comedy gems by the masses.

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