Akshaye Khanna Talks About Lost Role ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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Aamir Khan is once again back in the news with the trailer of his next venture, Sitaare Zameen Par. The film is said to be a spiritual sequel of his blockbuster movie, Taare Zameen Par which was directed by Khan himself.
Taare Zameen Par was a monumental success, and Aamir’s character of an art teacher (Nikumbh) was widely appreciated. However, do you know that the role was never intended for him in the first place?
Amol Gupte, who was the original writer of the movie, wanted to make it with Akshaye Khanna. He had seen Akshaye’s work in Dil Chahta Hai and requested Aamir to arrange a meeting with Khanna so that he could narrate the script to him. However, since the movie was about the issue on children, the ace actor wanted to hear the script himself before passing the message to Akshaye. And he liked it so much that he ended up doing it himself.
What Did Akshaye Khanna Say About Passing On Taare Zameen Par Role?
Akshaye Khanna himself made the surprising revelation during an interview a few years back (Via BollywoodShaadis). “He (Amol Gupte) approached Aamir, because he was a friend of Aamir, and said that he wanted to narrate this story to Akshaye. Can you call him and tell him that I want to narrate the script? Aamir being Aamir said, ‘I can’t recommend a script unless I hear it first.’ Make me hear the script, and if I like it, I’ll tell him.’ And he liked it so much that he ended up doing it,” Khanna said.
When asked if he could have executed a better job than Aamir, Khanna said no. “I don’t think I could have done a better job than him (Aamir). He was superb,” the actor said. Taare Zameen Par marked Aamir Khan’s directorial debut and went on to win the Best Film award at the 53rd Filmfare Awards.
On the other hand, Sitaare Zameen Par is considered a spiritual sequel to Taare Zameen Par. The film is reportedly a remake of the Spanish movie Campeones, directed by Javier Fesser. It tells the story of an alcoholic basketball coach who ends up training a team of players with intellectual disabilities. Directed by R.S. Prasanna, the film is expected to hit theatres on June 20, 2025.
