How Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Salman Khan lost out on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat

New Delhi: Padmaavat was undeniably among the most talked-about films of 2018. The historical drama won the hearts of cinema lovers with its stunning visuals and compelling performances by the star cast. But did you know Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai were the original choices for the blockbuster movie? Well, let us enlighten you!

Padmaavat was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In 1999, the 61-year-old filmmaker delivered the commercial success Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam with the duo. The romantic drama not only worked wonders at the Box Office but also garnered positive reviews from critics.

According to an indiatoday.in report, after the triumphant run of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Sanjay was keen to cast Salman and Aishwarya in another flick. He reportedly approached the two for a film, which was then titled Padmavati, and almost succeeded in making it happen.

However, destiny had other plans. The report further stated that Aishwarya had a special condition for the project. She was only interested in coming on board if Salman signed the role of Alauddin Khilji, meaning they wouldn’t have any scenes together. But the superstar wanted to be paired opposite Aishwarya instead. And as a result, both lost the opportunity.

Padmaavat star cast

The film was finally made with Deepika Padukone as Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji. While the trio did manage to leave a mark in the hearts of viewers, we wonder what magical spell the movie could have cast if Salman and Aishwarya had starred in it as per the original plan.

The epic saga re-releases on a new date – 6th February, 2025! Relive the iconic tale, #Padmaavat on the big screen ✨ #PadmaavatOn6thFeb pic.twitter.com/6mYaxwgCZ9

— Viacom18 Studios (@Viacom18Studios) January 23, 2025

Padmaavat also featured Aditi Rao Hydari, Jim Sarbh, Raza Murad and Anupriya Goenka in pivotal roles. Interestingly, it is now all set to re-release in theaters. The flick will be back in cinemas on February 6, 2025 to celebrate its seventh anniversary. It was based on Padmavat, an epic poem, by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi.