Bollywood superstar, Salman Khan and actress, Bhagyashree made it big in the 1989 blockbuster, Maine Pyar Kiya. But did you know that Bhagyashree was not the first choice of director, Sooraj Barjatya in his initial casting plan? Bollywood actor and comedian, Upasana Singh recently shared an intriguing revelation when she disclosed that she was the one originally selected to star opposite Salman in the film.
In a candid conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Upasana recalled her initial days in Mumbai when she auditioned for the iconic role of ‘Suman’, which ultimately went to Bhagyashree. Director, Sooraj Barjatya was impressed by her talent and selected her, assuring that she had the part. However, things took a turn when she met Raj Kumar Barjatya the next day. She was not officially ‘rejected’ but was never called back for the role. Upasana shared:
“He told me everything about the film, my role. And he selected me. After that, he said that you come tomorrow and meet my father but from my end, you are okay. The next day, I met his father and he rejected me. They are very sweet people so he did not say rejected but they did not call me again.”
Upasana revealed how, around fourteen years later, she had the chance to work with the Barjatyas once again in the 2003 film, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, starring Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Kareena Kapoor Khan. It was none other than Raj Kumar Barjatya who shocked everyone by revealing that Upasana was the first choice for ‘Suman’. Upasana had never told people about it because she had lost the role. Recalling the incident, the actress shared:
“He (Raj Kumar Barjatya) said, ‘Did you know who was our first choice for Maine Pyar Kiya?’ Kareena, Abhishek and Hrithik were all there…‘It was Upasana’. Everyone was shocked. I said, ‘But because of you, I didn’t get the role’. He said, ‘If I selected you, then you would have also left the movies like Bhagyashree’.”
While this revelation after all these years left Upasana surprised, Raj Kumar Barjatya explained his decision to reject her for the role. The filmmaker revealed that the main reason for not casting her was that she was taller than Salman Khan. Upasana was quoted saying:
“He said ‘I am not making an excuse, but you were taller than Salman’. That is what I was told. They wanted someone who was a little shorter than Salman so that’s why they didn’t cast me. They were not lying.”
Maine Pyar Kiya was a significant milestone in Salman Khan's career as it marked his debut as a lead actor. His co-star, Bhagyashree also became a household name for her iconic role after the film’s massive success. Its memorable songs and iconic dialogues remain a classic among romantic movie fanatics to this day.
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Do you think the film would have been the same with Upasana Singh as ‘Suman’?
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