Ace director, Farah Khan recently revealed the reason behind not casting Shilpa Shirodkar for the iconic song, 'Chhaiya Chhaiya'.
Farah Khan, who is the celebrated director-choreographer of Bollywood, has never been one to mince her words when it comes to calling a spade a spade. She has been quite candid with her casting decisions in films or particular dance numbers. Recently, Farah opened up about her decision to reject Shilpa Shirodkar for the iconic song, Chhaiya Chhaiya from the film, Dil Se.
Bollywood actress, Shilpa Shirodkar recently disclosed that she was initially offered the chance to perform in the song, Chhaiya Chhaiya from the iconic film, Dil Se. Talking to Siddharth Kannan, Shilpa revealed the reason by saying:
“I didn’t get it because I was fat. They just said that I am fat… I will always feel bad that I didn’t get ‘Chhaiya Chhaiya,’ but God gave me much more, and He is still giving me."
Farah Khan, who choreographed the legendary dance sequence, later confirmed Shilpa’s statement. In a chat with Bigg Boss 18 winner, Karan Veer Mehra on her own YouTube channel, Farah disclosed the reason that she did not cast Shilpa for the iconic song. In Farah’s words:
“I came to Shilpa to ask her for ‘Chhaiya Chhaiya’. But something must have happened to her because, at that time, she was at least 100 Kgs. So I thought ‘How will she get on the train?’ And if she gets on, where will Shah Rukh stand?”
Chhaiya Chhaiya turned out to be a massive hit after it was released. The song, which required performers to dance atop a moving train, was ultimately given to Malaika Arora, after being reportedly turned down by Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shetty for undisclosed reasons. Malaika’s performance went on to become one of the most celebrated moments in Bollywood’s musical history, and Chhaiya Chhaiya became a legendary song.
After her vibrant career in Bollywood during the 1990s, Shilpa Shirodkar once again came into the limelight after joining the controversial yet highly popular reality show, Bigg Boss 18. In her conversation with Siddharth Kannan, when asked about how Farah Khan approached her with the decision to not cast her alongside Shah Rukh Khan for Chhaiya Chhaiya, Shilpa shared:
“She just said that we will work some other time because they are looking for someone else. ‘You are a little fatter.’ Something like this… I don’t even remember anymore. I know I missed it because I was fat."
Shilpa Shirodkar has been associated with the film industry for a long time. She used to be a popular actress during the ‘90s and appeared in several films, including Hum, Aankhen, Khuda Gawah and Gopi Kishan. She has also been a popular face on the small screen and has appeared in numerous serials, such as Savitri Devi College & Hospital, and Ek Mutthi Aasman. Most recently, her stint in Bigg Boss 18 also earned her massive fame among new generation audiences.
What do you think about Farah Khan’s decision to not cast Shilpa Sirodkar for Chhaiya Chhaiya due to her weight?
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