Exclusive: Farhan Akhtar Reveals If He Wanted Hrithik Roshan in Dil Chahta Hai
Farhan Akhtar started his directorial career in 2001 with the memorable film Dil Chahta Hai, followed by Lakshya in 2004, which also resonated with many. Although Dil Chahta Hai featured Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna in the lead roles, it is known that Farhan initially wanted Hrithik Roshan as one of the heroes.
During a recent Pinkvilla Masterclass, Farhan confirmed this and mentioned that he indeed wanted to cast Hrithik Roshan in the film.
Farhan Akhtar’s Desire to Cast Hrithik Roshan in Dil Chahta Hai
As Farhan Akhtar’s Lakshya completed 20 years on June 18, 2024, he and his business partner Ritesh Sidhwani had a candid conversation with Pinkvilla. When asked about wanting to cast Hrithik Roshan in Dil Chahta Hai while Aamir Khan was initially chosen for Lakshya, the filmmaker-actor confirmed the information related to DCH.
Farhan shared that when he began pitching the story of Dil Chahta Hai, he had envisioned Hrithik as one of the lead actors, considering the age and accessibility of the characters. He found Hrithik exceptional in Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and approached him for the film. He also spoke to Abhishek Bachchan, but due to other commitments and preferences, they couldn’t collaborate on the film.
Regarding working with Hrithik in Lakshya, Farhan mentioned, “It was meant to be, so it happened.” He expressed how he always intended to have Hrithik as a part of Lakshya from the early stages of developing the screenplay.
Farhan Akhtar’s Harmony with Hrithik Roshan
On a lighter note, Hrithik once joked about wanting to change his and Preity Zinta’s hairstyle in Lakshya. Farhan amusingly remarked, “I’ll have to agree with Hrithik. I never disagree with him.”
Reflecting on potential changes to Lakshya, Farhan shared that while he previously mentioned wanting to change the audience three times a day, he believes a film should retain its original essence and decisions made at that time. He emphasized that Lakshya was crafted exactly as intended, sans any regrets or alterations.
“There are lessons to be learned and applied moving forward. However, there’s nothing I would alter in this film. It embodies the vision we had for it,” concluded Farhan.
More about Lakshya
Lakshya is a 2004 coming-of-age war drama directed by Farhan Akhtar and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani. Written by Javed Akhtar, it starred Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta, along with Amitabh Bachchan and Boman Irani.
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