THIS Jawan actress thought her casting call was a prank and the reason is Shah Rukh Khan’s smooth process

Imagine you are waiting to bag a film since a long time and suddenly, you land a movie opposite Shah Rukh Khan with just one audition. That is exactly what happened with Jawan actress Aaliyah Qureishi, who is also known by her stage name Moniker Jhalli. She was among one of the women from Shah Rukh Khan’s squad. When cast for the film, Aaliyah thought she was being pranked.

What exactly happened?

Aaliyah was looking for work since some time. In 2021, she got a call from Mukesh Chhabra Casting saying that there’s a role with Red Chillies Entertainment and the film is directed by Atlee. She went for the auditions and believed it would be a hard process, given the people involved with the project. Atlee and his wife even met Aaliyah to understand her better and see if she actually fits the role. The actress was not sure if she would be selected for the film but one day got a call that she was cast in the movie. Of course, she did not believe it instantly and thought it was a prank call, she revealed during her interview with India Today.

What did she say?

Aaliyah, still in disbelief, had a conversation with the staff from Mukesh Chhabra casting to clarify if she was actually cast in the movie. “Am I supposed to give the next round?,” she asked. Prompt came the response, “No, no, you have been cast in the film.” “I kept asking, But how is that possible? It was a really surreal moment,” Aaliyah recalled.

One of the six women

Jawan is powerful for the squad of women led by SRK in the film. While Aaliyah is one of the six women, the others include Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Girja Oak, Sanjeeta Bhattacharya and Lehar Khan. Aaliyah said that her bond with the other five women was that like sisters or as she calls them, homegirls. They had become family unlike what people believe – that they would be catty. The six, Aaliyah reveals, meet up a month for either lunch or dinner.

Jawan has been breaking records. The movie has minted over Rs. 600 crores in the global market, out of which nearly Rs. 350 crores are from India itself. The film also stars Nayanthara and Vijay Sethupathi in pivotal roles and Deepika Padukone in a cameo appearance.