Alia Bhatt was approached for the Prabhas-starrer Saaho.
The producers of Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani’s film Shershaah initially wanted Alia Bhatt to play the role of Dimple Cheema.
Actress Alia Bhatt, who made her debut with 2012’s Student Of The Year, has quickly climbed her way up to the top brass of artists in the industry in the last 12 years. One of the most sought-after actresses at present, not only has she left her mark on Bollywood but has also appeared in the highly successful Telugu film RRR.
Although Alia’s filmography boasts of some powerhouse performances in films like Highway, Raazi, Gangubai Kathiawadi, Dear Zindagi, Darlings, Brahmastra and Rocky Aur Ranu Kii Prem Kahani, she has also refused some iconic roles played by other actresses in the film industry. As Alia celebrates her 31st birthday on March 15, let us take a look at some of the films she turned down.
The producers of Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani’s film Shershaah initially wanted Alia Bhatt to play the role of Dimple Cheema. However, Alia rejected this film citing her busy schedule. After Alia’s refusal, Kiara Advani romanced Siddharth Malhotra on the silver screen and the audience liked their pairing a lot.
Alia reportedly turned down the opportunity to star in Sonam Kapoor’s career-defining film Neerja, released in 2016. Media reports suggest that Alia was initially approached for the role, but the producers expressed concerns about her height, deeming her too young to convincingly portray an air hostess. Upon hearing this feedback, Alia decided to decline the role herself.
Although 2017’s Raabta failed at the box office, the fresh pairing of Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon was appreciated. However, the first choice for the female lead was Alia Bhatt. To date, Alia has avoided media questions as to why she refused the films although some unconfirmed reports claim she did not want to work opposite Sushant.
Before RRR, Alia Bhatt would have made her Telugu debut with Saaho as she was approached for the film. But Alia reportedly felt that her screen time was too little in the film and left the project. Shraddha Kapoor was then roped in opposite Prabhas.
Aamir Khan’s film Thugs of Hindostan was released in 2018. The film also featured Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Shaikh. It is said that Alia had refused to be a part of this multi-starrer action drama film because she was already busy with many projects