Did you know Kajol once wanted to play this iconic Shah Rukh Khan role? Director reveals another Khan had an eye on the part

Veteran director Mansoor Khan, celebrated for helming iconic films like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992), recently revisited the casting journey of his 2000 action-romance film Josh. In a candid conversation, he shared insights about how the ensemble came together, particularly focusing on how Aishwarya Rai ended up portraying the female lead, and how Kajol had once been considered for that same role — as the sister to Shah Rukh Khan’s character.

At the time, Shah Rukh and Kajol were widely acknowledged as Bollywood’s most beloved on-screen couple. Pairing them as siblings, rather than romantic leads, was bound to raise eyebrows.

Reflecting on the choices he made, Mansoor explained that he has always prioritized authenticity of vision over strategic casting. “I never question whether the casting will appeal to the audience or not,” he said. “What matters to me is whether I truly believe in the choices I’m making. Conviction is my compass, though I do acknowledge that audience acceptance is a key ingredient too.”

When it came to Josh, Mansoor had absolute clarity on Shah Rukh Khan’s placement as Max — the rebellious, street-smart protagonist. “To me, both main characters held equal narrative weight,” he said. “I could have gone with a lesser-known face for either part, but in my script, both leads carried similar significance.” Aishwarya’s role wasn’t seen as secondary; in Mansoor’s creative framework, the story revolved around two strong personalities.

He revealed that his initial plan was to cast Aamir Khan as Aishwarya’s love interest. But when Mansoor presented the script to Aamir, the actor assumed he was being considered for Max’s role instead.

When this misunderstanding came to light, Mansoor then approached Shah Rukh, who showed great enthusiasm for Max and even offered his own creative inputs to enrich the character. However, complications arose when Shah Rukh realized Aamir was already attached to the project. Sensing a potential overlap or conflict, Shah Rukh opted out, and the arrangement ultimately dissolved.

After that, Mansoor turned to Kajol, hoping she would take on the role of Max’s sister. Given her celebrated partnership with Shah Rukh in several blockbusters like DDLJ, Baazigar, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, this was a bold suggestion. Mansoor admitted that Kajol was taken aback. “I narrated the script to Kajol because I wanted her to play the sister, after DDLJ, Baazigar, Karan Arjun and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. This is the ultimate sacrilege. After she heard the story idea, she got up to go out of my house. I asked her if she will do the film. She said no. She also wanted to play Max because it was such a charismatic character,” he revealed.

Eventually, the part went to Aishwarya Rai, who approached the story without any preconceived notions or ego about the sibling dynamic. “Then, I realised that maybe nobody will want to play Max’s sister, but thankfully Aishwarya agreed to do the film. She was thoroughly professional. I feel that Josh was her best film,” Mansoor concluded.