Farah Khan shared an amusing story about casting Rakhi Sawant in Main Hoon Na, Shah Rukh Khan’s blockbuster that also marked Farah’s directorial debut. In a conversation with casting director Mukesh Chhabra for Mashable India earlier this year, Farah recalled the chaotic yet hilarious sequence of events that led to Rakhi’s selection for her role in the film.
Initially, a different actress was cast for the part, but things took an unexpected turn when the actress’s mother began making demands. “Her mother insisted that she stay in the same hotel as Shah Rukh. The demands started before we even began shooting,” Farah said, explaining why they had to look for a replacement. That’s when Rakhi Sawant entered the picture, quite literally, in a dramatic way.
Farah’s assistant suggested Rakhi, who had auditioned for the role earlier. Recalling the audition, Farah said, “Rakhi arrived for the test in a burqa, which was quite surprising for a role that demanded a ‘hot girl’ appearance.” But things got even more surprising when the audition began. “She told my assistant to roll the camera,” Farah recalled. “Aur fir usne jo burqa nikaala, poora camera shake ho gaya tha kyuki andar wo bikini pehan kar aayi thi,” Farah laughed as she recounted the unexpected reveal.
However, Rakhi wasn’t cast right away because of her appearance at the time. “She had orange hair, and I was worried about how to make it work. When she arrived in Darjeeling, we gave her sweaters and berets to tone things down, but Rakhi wanted to expose more. I had to convince her that she’d look great even covered up,” Farah recalled.
Despite the initial hiccups, Rakhi proved to be a delight on set. “She was wonderful to work with. Her only request was to be positioned near Shah Rukh in a song sequence, and she was happy just with that,” Farah shared.
Main Hoon Na went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2004, and while Rakhi’s role was small, her appearance in the film remains memorable.
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