The 2003 romantic classic Chalte Chalte, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, is remembered as one of Bollywood’s most iconic love stories. However, not many know that Aishwarya Rai was originally cast as the female lead. Recently, director Aziz Mirza addressed the long-standing speculation about Aishwarya’s exit and revealed how much she actually shot before being replaced.
In a chat with Radio Nasha, Mirza confirmed that Aishwarya had only filmed for a single day. “We had just started shooting a song called Prem Nagariya. One day of shooting happened. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. And then Rani came,” he said, putting to rest rumours that Aishwarya had completed significant scenes.
This clarification comes years after widespread speculation that her exit was abrupt and surrounded by controversy. While the director didn’t delve into the details of the exit, his comments suggest the change happened early in the production process.
Interestingly, Chalte Chalte also marked a departure for Mirza, who had previously always cast Juhi Chawla opposite Shah Rukh Khan in his films. Explaining the change, he said it was time to offer the audience something new, although he believed Juhi would have done equally well.
The final film, with Rani Mukerji stepping into the lead role of Priya, was a major success and is now considered one of her most beloved performances. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan continues to stay busy with his next big project King, where he stars alongside his daughter Suhana Khan, directed by Siddharth Anand.