Here's how Abhishek Chaubey’s Ishqiya evolved, with its original cast of Irrfan Khan and Preity Zinta replaced by Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan, and Arshad Warsi in the final lineup.
Abhishek Chaubey’s debut film, Ishqiya (2010), became a critical and commercial hit, starring Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, and Vidya Balan. However, the original cast lineup was entirely different, as Chaubey recently shared in an interview.
The filmmaker revealed in an interview with Mashable that Pankaj Tripathi and Irrfan Khan were initially considered for the roles of Khalujan and Babban, later played by Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi. Preity Zinta was also finalized for the role of Krishna, while Lara Dutta had been approached earlier. Preity Zinta, however, dropped out after reading a revised script, and during a meeting in New York, Irrfan expressed concerns about his character, suggesting he would step away as well.
Back in Mumbai, Chaubey cast Vidya Balan as Krishna, a decision that proved pivotal. Naseeruddin Shah was then approached for Khalujan’s role, though he was initially unsure about taking on a romantic character. Despite his reservations, Shah agreed and delivered a memorable performance, which marked his first on-screen romance.
The film’s success led to the 2014 sequel, Dedh Ishqiya, with Shah and Warsi reprising their roles alongside Madhuri Dixit and Huma Qureshi. Chaubey’s ability to navigate casting challenges helped cement the franchise’s legacy. Currently, Chaubey continues to explore new stories, with his latest project, the Netflix black comedy Killer Soup, featuring an ensemble cast including Manoj Bajpayee and Konkona Sen Sharma, further solidifying his reputation as a versatile director.
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