Shah Rukh Khan, who is known for his unmatched charisma, has given multiple hits over the decades. His versatility has translated into several cinematic gems, an example of the same is ‘Chak De! India.’ However, did you know that Shah Rukh Khan was not the first choice for ‘Chak De! India,’ but another Khan of Bollywood? This 2007 sports drama was initially offered to the ‘Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’ actor Salman Khan.
Why did Salman Khan reject ‘Chak De! India’?
Salman Khan, who is known for his sense of humour, during the promotions of ‘Sultan’ in 2016, joked, “I left it because even Shah Rukh Khan should be a part of a few great films.”
He later added that back then, his fans had heroic expectations, and the image of Kabir Khan, the sports coach, didn’t fit the bill. “When I was offered Chak De, my image was totally different as I was doing Partner and all those kinds of films. My only thing in Chak De was that my fans would expect me to wear a wig and win the match for India, which would not go for the film. That was not my genre at that point in time,” said Salman.He continued, “It was a more serious kind of film, and I was doing more of a commercial kind of cinema, which I am still doing. I would never move out of the commercial cinema zone, but it is just that there would be a lot of meaningful cinema in the commercial zone.”
‘Chak De! India’
Released in 2007, ‘Chak De! India’ told the gritty, emotional journey of a women’s hockey team, their struggles, their wins, and the unbreakable bond that made them champions. The story drew inspiration from the life of former hockey player Mir Ranjan Negi. Shah Rukh Khan took on the role of a coach looking to redeem his reputation, a choice he accepted quickly as he had played hockey in college.
