Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan: When Bollywood actors said no to the Hollywood dream

You will never know if a film will take off or not but there have been times misses have proved costly for certain stars. Here’s a look at some Bollywood stars famously turned down offers to feature in Hollywood gigs.

Shah Rukh Khan’s ego probably took a slug when he turned down the role of Prem Kumar, a game show host, in the now famous ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Anil Kapoor, who did take on the challenge, won plaudits and was part of an Oscar-winning ensemble. Well, no one can get it right all the time.

Hrithik Roshan has been the ‘hunk of Bollywood’ ever since his debut ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’. He has also proved his mettle on screen a number of times. So it’s no surprise that directors in Hollywood, including Rob Cohen of the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise fame, have been wanting to cast him in their films. Surprisingly, Roshan, who is known for his dedication and commitment to his craft, has so far said no.

Who would have thought that Ranbir Kapoor had fears about auditioning? You heard it right. The Bollywood royalty recently told reporters that he was approached for playing the second lead in ‘Star Wars’, but he didn’t pursue it because he was petrified of auditions.

Ranbir isn’t the only actor who has rejected roles in Hollywood. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had famously said no to Brad Pitt’s ‘Troy’. Apparently, the intimate scenes with Brad Pitt’s character didn’t appeal to Roy Bachchan. The film was later nominated for an Oscar, but she has no regrets.

Deepika Padukone got her big break in Hollywood opposite action star Vin Diesel in 2017’s ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage’. She could have had a chance to enter the West earlier, as it was reported that she was offered a role in ‘Furious 7’. However, she was apparently busy working on Bollywood flick ‘Happy New Year’ alongside Shah Rukh Khan.

Priyanka Chopra is now one of the most successful crossover stars, after starring in the movie ‘Baywatch’, with Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, and in TV show ‘Quantico’. Earlier, she reportedly rejected a role in ‘Immortals’ because she was working on ‘7 Khoon Maaf’.