The journey to making the 2000 hit film ‘Kya Kehna‘, which cemented Preity Zinta’s position as a leading actress, was far from hurdle-free. In a recent conversation, producer Ramesh Taurani revealed the behind-the-scenes struggles, including challenges with casting and distribution. Distributors were initially reluctant to buy the movie as it featured relatively lesser-known stars like Saif Ali Khan and Chandrachur Singh.
In an interview with Radio Nasha Official, Ramesh shared that he had requested Chandrachur to leave the film to cast Salman Khan in his place. Salman agreed to do the movie without even hearing the script, but Chandrachur was not willing to drop out of the project. Initially, ‘Kya Kehna’ starred Mukul Dev alongside Chandrachur, but Mukul failed to show up on the first day of shooting, leading to the last-minute casting of Saif Ali Khan.
The situation became more complicated as the film faced hurdles in securing distributors due to its relatively lesser-known male leads at the time. Taurani recounted his desperate efforts to salvage the film in a challenging market, which had become unpredictable following the assassination of Gulshan Kumar.
Faced with mounting pressure, Taurani approached Chandrachur again, asking him to step aside so Salman could be brought on board. “We couldn’t sell the film,” he revealed. Despite the difficult nature of the request, Chandrachur initially agreed. Taurani then approached Salman Khan, who agreed to join the project without hesitation. “He said, ‘I don’t even want to listen to the plot. I will do it just because you have asked me to,’” Taurani said. However, Salman had one condition: he would only accept the role if Chandrachur provided written consent. “I don’t want to take something that belongs to someone else, something that’s cursed,” Salman reportedly said.
When news of this development leaked, it reached Chandrachur, who ultimately reconsidered his decision. He chose to remain in the project, reasoning that stepping away from a Tips production would not be wise. Understanding Chandrachur’s stance, Salman advised Taurani to proceed with him. Chandrachur went on to receive several nominations for his role, and the film became a hit.
