Did you know Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was supposed to do the 2003 romance drama Chalte Chalte alongside Shah Rukh Khan? She had, in fact, shot some part of the movie before she was replaced overnight “without any explanation”. Yes, you read that right! Aishwarya Rai, in an appearance on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, admitted that she was removed from as many as five films, including Veer Zaara, “without any explanation whatsoever”.
“Yes, at the time, there was talk of a couple of films that we (her and SRK) would be working in together. And then, suddenly they weren’t happening, without any explanation whatsoever. I have never had the answer to why,” Aishwarya had told Simi. Notably, SRK was also one of the producers on Chalte Chalte.
Simi had informed Aishwarya that Shah Rukh had expressed regret in an interview about replacing her. “I don’t have the answer to that,” Aishwarya said, adding that it wasn’t her decision to not do those films.
When asked how it felt to be removed from such big projects, Aishwarya said, “See, at the time, when you have no explanation, you’re obviously completely taken aback, and confused, and hurt. You wonder about it.” Simi asked if Aishwarya ever confronted Shah Rukh. “It’s not in my nature to,” Aishwarya replied. “If a person feels a need to explain it, they will. If they never did, they never intend to. So, it’s not in my nature to get into questioning what and why. Probably within myself, but I wouldn’t go up to a person and ask why. By the grace of God, I’m not defined by the other.”
Shah Rukh, in an interview, had apologised to Aishwarya after she couldn’t be a part of Chalte Chalte. He had said, “I’m personally very saddened at the fact that Aishwarya was a very close friend and I have done some really marvelous films with her and we get along really well. Personally, it’s very saddening for something to reach at this level. I feel very sorry about it. As a producer, my hands are tied because I’m not the only producer… We wanted to finish the film in 3-4 months. I’m sure the film would have been made with her in it also, but I think we were a little saddened by the whole affair and we thought it wasn’t meant to be.”
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