August 27 marked the 25th anniversary of Baadshah, the 1997 hit starring Shah Rukh Khan and Twinkle Khanna. This evergreen film, celebrated for its repeat value and satellite success, continues to captivate audiences even after a quarter-century.
On this milestone, producer Ratan Jain of Venus Records And Tapes Pvt Ltd shared some insights about the film’s journey and its lead actors in his conversation with Bollywood Hungama.
Shah Rukh Khan Was Always The Leading Choice For Baadshah, Karishma Kapoor Was Supposed To Play The Female Lead
Shah Rukh Khan was always the top choice for the role of Baadshah. Jain confirmed, “Yes, for sure. Shah Rukh Khan in and as Baadshah – yeh sochke hi film banayi gayi thi.” His commitment to the role was evident from the start, and the film was crafted with him in mind.
Initially, Karisma Kapoor was considered for the female lead. Jain noted, “Earlier, we had considered Karisma Kapoor. She was almost finalized but then for some reason, she couldn’t come on board.” Eventually, Twinkle Khanna was cast, and her performance became a significant part of the film’s success.
Baadshah is known for its quirky and memorable scenes, especially those set in the titular character’s office. Jain admitted that the lack of advanced VFX was a challenge. “There was no VFX like it is right now. But we did have some effects. Honestly, in some scenes, we were not very happy with the effects. But we had to compromise,” he said. Despite this, the film’s charm shone through.
Producer Ratan Jain Praises SRK, Calls Him Talented & Hardworking
The film’s narrative takes an interesting turn in the second half, shifting from comedy to a more serious tone. Jain explained, “To be honest with you, the second half was supposed to be something else. But then we changed the script. If you look at the film, the first half is very comic but in the second half, it gets a bit serious.”
He praised Shah Rukh Khan’s ability to balance this shift, adding, “Yes, and that is bound to happen when you have Shah Rukh Khan. That’s his forte.”
One memorable aspect of the film is Khan’s rapid-fire monologue in the song “Main Toh Hoon Pagal”. Jain revealed that convincing Khan was not an issue. “You don’t need to convince Shah Rukh. He is ready to do anything. He’s talented as well as hard-working,” he said.
The film’s release was met with great enthusiasm. Jain recalled, “The response was amazing. But that time, Shah Rukh naya naya star bana tha. He was not very big and was growing. Nevertheless, he was very popular and audiences used to love him. And he loves the film.”
Despite his superstar status, Khan has a fondness for Baadshah and often discusses it more than some of the other projects.
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