Not Manisha Koirala But Aishwarya Rai Was The First Choice For THIS Sanjay Leela Bhansali Film

Sanjay Leela Bhansali made his directorial debut with the 1996 musical drama Khamoshi: The Musical. The film featured Manisha Koirala in the lead role. However, in an old interview, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who has collaborated with Bhansali on movies like Guzaarish, Devdas and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, claimed that she was the first choice for his directorial debut. 

Aishwarya Rai reveals she was the first choice for Khamoshi: The Musical 

In an old interview with Bollywood Hungama, Aishwarya Rai revealed that Sanjay Leela Bhansali had planned his debut movie Khamoshi with her. She recalled not being in the know of this information till the time they were shooting for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. She also shared that she could not play the part because she was participating in the Miss India pageant at the time. 

Aishwarya recalled, “At one point, Sanjay considered casting me for Khamoshi. But I’d just gone for the (Miss India) pageant. He told me this before we started shooting for Hum Dil (De Chuke Sanam). I’d visited the sets of Dholi Taaro for a recce. When I was walking, my hair was all wavy. He looked at me and said, ‘You know, this is the way I saw you in Khamoshi.’ Then he and Anil Mehta (cinematographer) smiled. And I was like, ‘Really?’ I loved Khamoshi.” She recalled feeling regretful in not being able to play a part in the film, whose song she loved and kept humming. She then recalled the Black director telling her, “It’s okay ya, you went and became Miss World.” Manisha Koirala ended up playing the lead role and collaborated with the director again recently in his debut series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. 

When Manisha Koirala said she was ‘happy’ other actresses rejected Khamoshi 

In a recent interview with Galatta India for the promotion of their series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, Manisha Koirala recalled how she landed her role in Khamoshi. She shared, “Sanjay asked me to read a script. I said, ‘Okay, han de de yar (yes, give it). And I told him that his script had magic. It was so poignant, so beautiful. He didn’t want me then. He wanted either Madhuri ji or Kajol.” She then recalled telling the director that she would be glad to do the film if the other actresses reject it. She shared, “So I said, ‘Agar ye dono na karein na, toh main karungi’ (If they don’t do it, I will). I was very happy that others didn’t do it, and I got the chance” 

Manisha, along with Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Sehgal and Sanjeeda Sheikh, essays the role of courtesans in Sanjay’s latest release Heeramandi which is set against the backdrop of independence.