PremiumBajirao Mastani turns 8! Did you know Ajay-Katrina-Kareena were the first choices for the Ranveer-Deepika-Priyanka starrer?
Before finalising Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra for Bajirao Mastani, several other actors were considered to play Bajirao, Mastani and Kashibai.
Last Updated: 02.01 PM, Dec 18, 2023
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for creating magic on screens. When it comes to his films, everything flows flawlessly—from the plot to the sets and the dialogues, the filmmaker makes sure to perfect everything. Today marks eight years since the release of Bajirao Mastani, one of his best movies, which starred Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Priyanka Chopra in the key roles.
But did you know, that before finalizing these three magnificent actors, there were several actors who were supposed to play the roles of Bajirao, Mastani, and Kashibai?
SLB wanted to bring in Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai, who were romantically involved in 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' at the time. Following their well-publicized breakup, Sanjay was unable to cast them. Salman then asked Bhansali to cast Katrina Kaif as Mastani. The superstar actually introduced Katrina to SLB's house and addressed the director directly, saying, "This is your Mastani." However, not everything is meant to be.
Bhansali also made the decision to cast Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor in Bajirao Mastani in 2003. Salman suggested Bhumika Chawla to be Bajirao's first wife. Sadly, during Bhumika's screen test with SLB, her saree caught fire while using the diya and then things didn't work with her as well. Salman then persuaded Kareena to sign Priyadarshan's 'Kyun Ki', in which Salman-Kareena Jodi sank, eliminating the uniqueness of the jodi as Bajirao Mastani.
Twelve years later, Bhansali gave the project a new life. Because of his background in Maharashtra, he decided to cast Ajay Devgn as Bajirao this time around. But insiders claim that Devgn demanded an outrageous amount.
Even though Rani Mukerji was also one of the actresses that the director considered casting, things didn't work out. It nearly took ten years for Sanjay Leela Bhansali to choose the cast of 'Bajirao Mastani.' For the uninitiated, the director also considered casting Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan in the film.
Ranveer Singh was finally cast in the iconic film. However, Bhansali wasn't sure if Ranveer's exuberance would translate into the warrior's internalized aggression during the filming of 'Goliyon Ki Rasleela.. Ram Leela'. However, Ranveer's commitment persuaded him. Just like that Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra came on board making it a treat to watch for us all.
Meanwhile, Bhansali Productions shared a video on their Instagram account to commemorate the anniversary of the timeless epic. The video begins with Ranveer, the captivating force behind Bajirao's persona, contemplating the immense responsibility of playing a once-in-a-lifetime hero. It then shows snippets of other iconic moments from the movie. The video is captioned: "Strength + Elegance = Mastani ❤️ 🎬 #8YearsOfBajiraoMastani"