Before the release of his upcoming film King, here’s a look at iconic roles Shah Rukh Khan stepped into—replacing other big names along the way.
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Shah Rukh Khan, often referred to as the 'King of Bollywood,' is making headlines with his upcoming action thriller titled 'King.' Although there has been no official confirmation, various media reports indicate that this action-packed film, which also stars Anil Kapoor, may be released in 2026. In light of this, let's take a look at some notable films where Shah Rukh Khan replaced other actors.
Shah Rukh Khan took over the role originally played by Amitabh Bachchan in the 2006 remake of the film "Don," as well as its 2011 sequel, "Don 2." The original "Don," released in 1978, featured Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role. Director Farhan Akhtar chose Shah Rukh Khan for both the remake and the sequel due to his personality and the way he captured the essence of the character.
During an interview with Bollywood Thikana, Deepak Tijori shared that he was initially supposed to star in "Baazigar," which was inspired by "A Kiss Before Dying." He pitched the story to directors Abbas-Mustan and expressed his desire to play the role of Ajay. However, Deepak later received a call from Pahlaj informing him that Abbas-Mustan had committed to Venus with Shah Rukh Khan as the lead. Deepak recalled discussing the film with Shah Rukh, who confirmed he had been approached for the role.
A fan favorite, director Aditya Chopra's 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' is a classic film. In her book, 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge: The Making of a Blockbuster', author and film critic Anupama Chopra mentions that Aditya originally envisioned DDLJ as a cross-cultural love story between an American boy and an Indian girl. He even wanted Tom Cruise to play the lead role. However, his father, filmmaker Yash Chopra, advised him to revise the story and to portray the characters as non-resident Indians.
Producer Guddu Dhanoa revealed that Shah Rukh Khan replaced Armaan Kohli in "Deewana." In an interview with The Indian Express, he said, “Armaan left the film, and it was Shekhar Kapur who suggested Shah Rukh’s name to me.”
After returning from Madras, Guddu called Shah Rukh, who invited them to meet in Delhi. “We met at a restaurant in Connaught Place. When he arrived at noon, I was still unsure who he was, but upon seeing him, I immediately knew I wanted him for 'Deewana.'"
Speaking to Indian Express, Rakesh Roshan shared that Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan were the first to be approached with the film, but they backed out. “They both left the film, then I took Aamir Khan and Salman Khan in it," said Rakesh. However, Shah Rukh Khan later reached out to Roshan himself, expressing a desire to be part of the film. Roshan recalled, "Then I told Aamir that I had SRK’s dates from the next month so let me start with him, and Aamir agreed."
(Images: Instagram/ Youtube Still)
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