Preity Zinta Rejected Doing A Film With Irrfan Khan Backed By Vishal Bhardwaj?

Bollywood’s casting decisions often remain a mystery, with many iconic roles initially meant for different actors. In a surprising revelation, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj disclosed that Preity Zinta was the original choice for Ishqiya (2010), but she walked away from the project. The reason? She reportedly wasn’t convinced about Irrfan Khan’s commercial appeal as a lead actor.

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, Ishqiya became a cult classic, with Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi, and Naseeruddin Shah delivering stellar performances. However, the film’s casting went through a major overhaul before it hit the screens.

According to a Koimoi report, Pankaj Tripathi was initially set to play Khalujan (eventually portrayed by Naseeruddin Shah), and Irrfan Khan was supposed to take on the role of Babban (later played by Arshad Warsi). The female lead, Krishna Verma, was first offered to Preity Zinta, who reportedly loved the script. However, she had concerns about Irrfan’s ability to pull in audiences commercially, leading to her exit.

Interestingly, Irrfan Khan himself did not end up doing Ishqiya, but for a completely different reason. In an interview with News18, director Abhishek Chaubey recalled a meeting with Irrfan at a hotel in New York, where the actor realized that the revised version of the script didn’t favour his character as much as he had initially believed.

“Irrfan heard the new version of the film and sensed that this version isn’t in favour of his character. That was the first time I realized he might not do my film,” Chaubey revealed.

This led to a fallout between Irrfan Khan and Vishal Bhardwaj, who had been close collaborators. Reportedly, Bhardwaj was so upset that he did not speak to Irrfan for nearly three years.

In an interview with Lallantop, Vishal Bhardwaj indirectly addressed the situation, seemingly confirming that a major actress had refused the film because she didn’t believe in Irrfan’s commercial viability. Without naming Preity Zinta, he stated:

“We had said no to a big actress for Ishqiya because she refused to work with Irrfan, as he wasn’t a commercial actor. I got very angry with him and didn’t speak to him for 2-3 years. I didn’t pick up his calls.”

This aligns with reports suggesting that Bhardwaj ultimately chose Irrfan over Preity, leading to a complete casting reshuffle.

With Preity Zinta out of the picture, the role eventually went to Vidya Balan, who delivered one of her most career-defining performances. Her bold and layered portrayal of Krishna Verma was widely praised, proving that the right casting can elevate a film. Ishqiya not only became a box-office success but also helped establish Vidya as a force to be reckoned with in Bollywood.