When Shahid Kapoor Regretted Turning Down Aamir Khan’s Rang De Basanti – Here’s The Role He Was Offered

Popular Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor once had to reject Aamir Khan’s Rang De Basanti. Here’s the role he was offered and the reason he turned it down.

- June 22, 2026 | 1:03 PM IST

When Shahid Kapoor Regretted Rejecting Rang De Basanti (Photo Credit: ROMP Pictures/Instagram)

Right from his acting debut as a leading man in the 2003 rom-com Ishq Vishk to gritty, intense roles in Kaminey, Haider, and Udta Punjab, Shahid Kapoor has built an impressive filmography with several standout performances. Throughout his career, he has delivered several box office hits, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat and Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Kabir Singh. However, some of his recent films, like Deva, did not perform at the box office as expected. He is currently starring in Homi Adajania’s rom-com Cocktail 2.

In addition to the above-mentioned films, Shahid Kapoor could also have been part of another popular movie that went on to become a big box-office hit. Yes, we’re talking about Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s 2006 film, Rang De Basanti, that featured Aamir Khan in the lead role. The coming-of-age drama received widespread praise from critics and a big thumbs-up from viewers. But which role was Shahid Kapoor offered, and why did he turn it down? Keep scrolling to find out.

The Role Shahid Kapoor Was Offered In Rang De Basanti

Shahid Kapoor wasn’t offered Aamir Khan’s role in the film. According to a report by the Indian Express, the talented actor revealed on Neha Dhupia’s talk show, BFFs With Vogue, that he was offered the role of Karan Singhania, which was eventually played by Siddharth.

Why Did He Reject The Role?

Although Shahid Kapoor loved the script of Rang De Basanti and he even cried while reading it, he had to turn down the role because he did not have the time to do the film.

Interestingly, the role of Karan Singhania was also offered to two big Bollywood stars – Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan. But things didn’t work out, and it finally went to Siddharth. And the rest, as they say, is history.

What’s Rang De Basanti All About?

The film follows a British filmmaker, Sue, who visits Delhi to make a documentary film on Indian freedom fighters. While searching for actors, she meets a group of carefree university friends who agree to act in her film. But after the death of their close friend, they decide to take matters into their own hands to get justice and to expose a corrupt system. It features Aamir Khan, Siddharth, R. Madhavan, Atul Kulkarni, Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kapoor, Alice Patten, Waheeda Rehman, and Soha Ali Khan.