Highlights
- Farhan Akhtar recalls Saif Ali Khan nearly leaving Dil Chahta Hai shortly before filming began.
- The filmmaker says the situation left him devastated because he could not imagine anyone else in the role.
- Akhtar says actors leaving projects close to production “seems to be a pattern nowadays”.
- His comments come amid the fallout surrounding Ranveer Singh’s departure from Don 3.
Saif Ali Khan nearly left Dil Chahta Hai
Farhan Akhtar has recalled a casting crisis from his directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai, saying Saif Ali Khan almost walked away from the film shortly before production.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Akhtar said a change in Saif’s dates created a major problem, leaving the actor “half in, half out” of the project.
The film was only around a month away from filming, and Akhtar said he struggled to imagine anyone else taking over the part.
“When I got into it, there was nobody else who could have played that part. It was just impossible,” Akhtar said.
He recalled being deeply affected by the possibility of losing Saif from the film, saying: “My head was destroyed.”
Akhtar says last-minute exits are becoming a pattern
Reflecting on the experience years later, Akhtar noted how close the situation was to filming.
“I think it was maybe about a month away from filming, which seems to be a pattern nowadays. Not just with me. Aisa bhi hota hai.”
His comment comes as the Hindi film industry continues to deal with high-profile casting changes and actors stepping away from projects close to production.
The remark also arrives amid the fallout over Ranveer Singh's departure from Don 3, which was being developed by Akhtar and Excel Entertainment.
The Don 3 fallout
Ranveer Singh's exit from Don 3 became a major point of discussion after the actor walked away from the project, with reports of disagreements surrounding the circumstances of his departure.
Following the fallout, Excel Entertainment approached the Producers Guild of India, with the production house reportedly claiming that the late departure had caused significant losses.
Singh was also reported to have raised concerns about the way the project was being handled and alleged that Akhtar had prioritised other commitments. It was subsequently claimed that the actor was approached again following the success of Dhurandhar.
Akhtar, however, did not directly name Singh when discussing the broader issue of actors leaving films shortly before production.
Instead, his recollection of Dil Chahta Hai offers a glimpse into how a filmmaker experiences the uncertainty when a key actor's availability suddenly changes.
From a casting scare to a lasting film
Despite the crisis, Dil Chahta Hai went ahead with its original trio of Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna.
Released in 2001, the film became a landmark in Hindi cinema and remains one of Akhtar's most celebrated directorial works.
His recollection also highlights how differently a project can look to a filmmaker once an actor has become inseparable from a role. For Akhtar, Saif had become so closely associated with the character that replacing him simply did not feel possible.
More than two decades later, that near-exit has given Akhtar a personal example of the uncertainty that can come when an actor leaves a film close to production.
