In a surprising revelation, veteran film producer Boney Kapoor has disclosed that he originally intended to cast Salman Khan in the lead role for the Hindi remake of the Tamil blockbuster Ghajini, a role that eventually catapulted Aamir Khan to new heights in 2008. Kapoor expressed deep regret over missing this opportunity, blaming producer Madhu Mantena for keeping him waiting for the rights.
The Lost Opportunity: Salman's Ghajini That Never Was
Boney Kapoor detailed the sequence of events that led to him losing the coveted project. He explained that his representative in South India initially approached the original producers for the Hindi remake rights. They were informed that the rights were held as collateral by Allu Aravind, the distributor of the Telugu version. Kapoor was told he could acquire them by settling the dues with both parties.
Subsequently, Kapoor reached out to Madhu Mantena, a known associate of Allu Aravind, to facilitate the purchase. "Madhu kept assuring me, 'Ho jayega (It will happen),'" Kapoor recalled. However, this assurance stretched for an agonizing six months. During this period, actor Pradeep Rawat, who played the antagonist in the original, showed the film to Aamir Khan. By the time Aamir agreed to do the film, Mantena and Aravind decided to produce it themselves, leaving Kapoor out in the cold.
Kapoor believed Salman Khan, fresh from the look he sported in the 2003 film Tere Naam, was the perfect fit. "I thought that with his chiseled physique, and his hair pruned, he would be a perfect fit for Suriya’s role in Ghajini," he stated, referencing Salman's shaved-head look in the latter part of Tere Naam.
Beyond Ghajini: Salman Khan's Goodwill and Career-Saving Hits
The producer also shared heartwarming anecdotes about his long-standing professional relationship with Salman Khan, which began with the 1999 film Sirf Tum. Kapoor revealed that for this film, which starred his brother Sanjay Kapoor, he approached Salman for a special appearance. To his astonishment, Salman agreed immediately, shot for two days, and refused to accept any payment or even a gift, despite them not being close friends at the time.
Kapoor credited Salman Khan with reviving his career not once, but twice. The 2005 comedy No Entry, the highest-grossing film of that year, brought Kapoor back into contention. Later, the 2009 action hit Wanted re-established him as a major producer. "Many say Wanted was Salman’s comeback film. That’s not true. If anything, it brought me back as a producer in a big way," Kapoor asserted.
He also disclosed an interesting casting tidbit about Wanted. While Ayesha Takia eventually played the female lead, it was Salman who had initially suggested Katrina Kaif's name for the role. Kapoor, however, felt the character's ambivalence towards the hero would be better portrayed by an actress who had never been paired with Salman before.
A Lasting Regret and an Enduring Partnership
The story of the missed Ghajini opportunity remains a point of regret for Boney Kapoor. His vision of a Salman Khan-led adaptation, fueled by the actor's intense physicality and the iconic shaved-head look, never materialized due to the protracted negotiations. This revelation adds a fascinating 'what-if' chapter to Bollywood's remake history.
Despite this setback, the partnership between Kapoor and Salman Khan has yielded significant commercial success and personal goodwill. From a gesture of unpaid support in Sirf Tum to delivering box office gold with No Entry and Wanted, their collaboration has been a defining element in both their careers, making the lost chance at Ghajini a poignant footnote in their shared journey.
