Ameesha Patel has just revealed that Salman Khanhis first chance to play the lead role in the film and turning it down remains one of the most significant regrets of his career. In a candid trip down memory lane, Ameesha Patel talks about one of the biggest “what ifs” of her career. The ‘Gadar 2’ actor recently revealed that he was the original choice for the 2003 cult classic ‘Tere Naam’ but eventually turned down the role that ended up being his. Bhumika Chawla.
Ameesha Patel expresses regret for rejecting ‘Tere Naam’
Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, Ameesha Patel admitted that looking back, she wishes she had taken a different decision. By Satish Kaushik the directory“Kaash main mana nahi karti. Lekin uss waqt jab Salman offer ki thi sirf gaane ban chuki thi aur ye film ka idea aur kahaani thi. Unhone mujhe narrate kiya, gaane bhi sunaaye. Tab na dates tay thi aur direct kaun karega ye bhi tay nahi tha. Everything was up in the air.” (I regret turning down the offer. By the time Salman approached me, only the music and the core concept were ready. He narrated the story and played the songs for me, but there was no set shooting date and a director was not finalized yet. Everything was still in the development phase.’Ameesha Patel stated that although Salman Khan was extremely passionate about the project from the beginning, the lack of a director or fixed shooting schedule made it difficult for him to commit at that stage.The ‘Gadar’ actor explained that the film’s development phase was quite long, with the project moving through several potential directors before the late Satish Kaushik finally took the lead.“Kuch set nahi tha and as an actor I could not take away the time I gave to so many people. Agar Salman came to me with a date and set director and said we are ready to shoot, then of course the main film ‘Tere Naam’ jaisi mana nahi karti. Of course it was such a beautiful movie and mujhe kahani bohot pasand aayi thi. Mujhe gaane bohot pasand aaye the. So yeah, it’s definitely my loss.” (There was nothing surprising, and as an actor I couldn’t go back on the time I had committed to other people. If Salman had approached me with a fixed date and a fixed director and said we are ready to start shooting, then of course I wouldn’t have ruled out a film like ‘Tere Naam’. It was such a beautiful film; I liked the story and I really like the songs. So yeah, it’s definitely my loss.)By the time the production was ready to ‘roll’, Ameesha was already committed to other projects and was unable to accommodate the dates required for the intense love story.
About ‘Tere Naam’
Released in 2003, ‘Tere Naam’ was a remake of Tamil film ‘Sethu’ and became a career defining moment for Salman Khan. Her portrayal of the obsessive and confused lover Radhe became iconic, sparking a nationwide trend like the “middle part” hairstyle. While it lost Ameesha, the film served as a major launch for Bhumika Chawla, who won hearts as the innocent Nirjara. Completed by Himesh Reshammiyathe soundtrack remains one of the most beloved in Bollywood history.
