“Couldn’t Work With The Bajirao He Had In Mind”

Not many know Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was the first choice to play Deepika Padukone’s role of Mastani in ‘Barjirao Mastani’ helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Before DP, Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra were finalized to play the key roles, a lot of celebs were in talks with Sanjay Leela Bhansali which didn’t end up to be the part. Recently we came across an old video of Aishwarya talking about refusing the film due to the creative difference.

Back in the day, the former Miss World appeared on KJo’s chat show where she opened up about not doing Bajirao Mastani as she wasn’t okay with the alleged celebrity who was then finalized to Bajirao. Even before she communicated, news rumours began buzzing that she walked out of the film.

During her appearance on Koffee With Karan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan told Karna Johar He did see us working as the cast that he saw was ideal for the film. But circumstantially, I could not work with the kind of team he was looking at. Further when Karan Johar prodded further and asked what circumstances, she added, “Well, I was game, to play Mastani, but not with the Bajirao he had in mind, which was evident probably nationally. The media made it out to be that Aishwarya walks out of Bajirao Mastani. We hadn’t communicated because I was in the hospital with my leg laid up after an accident.”

For the unversed, earlier it was reported that Sanjay Leela Bhansali had finalized Salman Khan to play the lead male role which Aishwarya wasn’t ok with. Soon after the video surface, one of the Redditor wrote, “I love Aish and if she didn’t want to work with Salman it make sense” while another said, “As she should, despite being close friend with aish n knowing what she had to go through n still offering such movie ??”

Aish talking about rejecting bajirao Mastani offered by slb.
byu/PressureInitial3262 inBollyBlindsNGossip

A third netizen explained, “During early 2000s Salman and Aish were supposed to do the film. Later on with Salman as Bajirao, Kareena was supposed to play Mastani and Rani was rumoured to play Kashibai. Kareena and Salman also shot for the poster of the film. Which is still available in SLB’s office! SLB wanted to introduce Salman – Kareena’s fresh pair but they ended up signing “Kyon Ki” so he shelved the film again and after a decade revived again with Ranveer and DP.”

A fourth one commented, “Slb’s first choices have never worked anyways, (in retrospect which is very good) Be it bajirao(salman) , khilji (ajay devgn) or gangubai(rani)”