In Bollywood, it’s not uncommon for actresses to be replaced in big-banner films, sometimes even after being finalized. A similar incident happened nearly 20 years ago with Soha Ali Khan, daughter of legendary cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and actress Sharmila Tagore.

The film in question was “Paheli” (2005), directed by Amol Palekar. While the movie eventually starred Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji in lead roles and went on to win several awards, Rani was not the first choice. Initially, the film was offered to Soha Ali Khan, who had even quit her job at Citibank to prepare for her debut.

How Soha Lost the Film

Recounting the episode in a recent interview, Soha said:

• “It was my first film. I had just left Citibank, where I was earning a good salary and paying Rs 17,000 rent. I was even considering moving to London for work. Then Amol Palekar narrated the script of Paheli to me. I got film offers mainly because of my family background.”

• She added that once Shah Rukh Khan came on board, she was informed she would no longer be part of the project.

• Eventually, the role went to Rani Mukerji, while Soha had to wait longer to make her Bollywood debut.

Rani Replaced Soha

Soha admitted she didn’t fully grasp the demands of acting back then. “I didn’t know the skills required to be a film actor at that time,” she said. The makers decided Rani Mukerji was a better fit alongside Shah Rukh, and the rest is history.