The 1993 blockbuster movie “Darr” remains a significant chapter in Bollywood’s history, partly due to its stellar performances and gripping narrative. However, a lesser-known aspect of the film’s backstory involves the casting choices that led to Aamir Khan’s decision to decline the role initially offered to him, which eventually catapulted Shah Rukh Khan to overnight stardom.
The movie’s director, the late Yash Chopra, initially approached Aamir Khan for the pivotal role that eventually went to Shah Rukh Khan. Reports from that time suggested that Aamir had declined the role because he wanted assurances about the fight sequences, particularly the number of punches exchanged between him and co-star Sunny Deol. These accusations were laid to rest when Aamir addressed the issue in a 1997 interview with Rediff.
Aamir clarified, “They don’t fail to understand my approach. They simply tell lies. Yes, it hurts tremendously when they do this. Regarding Yash Chopra’s accusation, I’d like to put things in perspective. In the first narration, he told me that Sunny (Deol) and I would fight, but it would be Juhi (the woman whom I was obsessed with and harassing) who would kill me. That was poetic justice. Then I came to know that he had narrated a different climax to Sunny in which Sunny would kill me. So I asked for a joint narration. I was concerned about my screen image. I was certainly not going to be beaten up by a regular hero in a regular commercial film.”
Aamir further explained, “When Yashji told me it would be an equal fight in the climax, I asked him what he meant by that, and he said both of us would have an equal number of punches. In any case, it made more sense to have a heroine who has been terrorized all along killing her tormentor. The character had a mental problem and it should have been played accordingly.”
The film, released in 1993, featured Juhi Chawla, Shah Rukh Khan, and Sunny Deol in lead roles, with Shah Rukh Khan’s portrayal of the obsessed antagonist “Rahul” propelling him to stardom overnight. “Darr” remains a classic in Indian cinema, remembered not only for its gripping storyline but also for the controversies and casting decisions that shaped its legacy.
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