Shah Rukh Khan, the undisputed King of Bollywood, has delivered countless unforgettable performances over the years. Among his early breakthroughs, Baazigar remains a fan-favorite, celebrated for its bold storytelling. Interestingly, the film’s journey to Shah Rukh wasn’t straightforward. Screenwriter Robin Bhatt recently revealed that SRK only came on board after both Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar had rejected the role, and he had just one firm demand.
Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan said no to Baazigar
In an interview with Friday Talkies, Robin Bhatt, who is the younger half-brother of Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, recounted how Baazigar was born. He shared that he once received a call asking if he had watched A Kiss Before Dying. Although he hadn’t seen the film, Robin had read the novel it was based on and felt confident they could adapt it. Soon after, he was asked to prepare the screenplay, with directors Abbas-Mustan eager to direct the project.
The bigger hurdle came later: casting. Since the script flipped the traditional hero narrative by making the protagonist a villain, most stars shied away. Akshay Kumar was the first choice but declined. Later, Salman Khan was approached through his father, Salim Khan, but he too passed on the project.
Robin then realized that it would take someone truly fearless to play such a morally ambiguous role. And that’s when Shah Rukh Khan entered the picture.
Shah Rukh Khan agreed instantly but put one strict condition
Robin recalled meeting SRK frequently at Hotel Villa, where the actor would attend script sessions for Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, while Robin worked on his own stories. He noticed that Shah Rukh had a different mindset compared to others. During one of their casual conversations, Robin narrated the first half of Baazigar’s story to Shah Rukh.
To his surprise, SRK immediately said yes, without even hearing the second half. However, Shah Rukh made it crystal clear: “I will do the film if only you will leave the script as it is. You will not try and justify the character or make him grey.”
His unwavering stance gave Abbas-Mustan the confidence to stick to their daring vision without softening the character. And history was made. For those who might not know, Baazigar went on to star Kajol, Shilpa Shetty, Raakhee, and Johnny Lever, and became one of Shah Rukh Khan’s early game-changing hits.
