‘Hrithik Roshan said don’t worry about me, call Shah Rukh Khan’, Farhan Akhtar reveals why he replaced Hrithik with SRK in Don

Hrithik Roshan had already been finalised for for Don but as Farhan Akhtar wrote the film, he felt that Shah Rukh Khan was the right choice for the role.

Hrithik Roshan was recently filmed losing his cool on paparazzi, at Mumbai airport (Photo: Instagram/hrithikroshan)

Hrithik Roshan was Farhan Akhtar's first choice for Don. (Photo: Instagram/hrithikroshan)

When Farhan Akhtar decided to remake Amitabh Bachchan’s Don, Shah Rukh Khan wasn’t the first actor that he though of. In fact, in a recent interview, Farhan revealed that he had first thought of casting Hrithik Roshan in the film even before he started writing it. Farhan shared that he was still trying to cope with the box office failure of Lakshya when he thought of remaking Don and Hrithik was his first phone call.

Farhan shared with Raj Shamani on his podcast, “I reached out to Hrithik and I told him that I am thinking about remaking Don. He said ‘sounds amazing’ and I said ‘let me write it and I will bring it to you’. While writing it, the only person whose face kept popping into my head was Shah Rukh.” Farhan said that SRK’s “personality, wit, sarcastic humour,” he felt, would make him the right person for the job.

“When I was writing, it felt like this guy is actually the best actor for this part but I had already spoken to Hrithik so I thought about what to do. I called up Hrithik and I told him that I have been writing the film and I am just feeling more and more that I should reach out to Shah Rukh. He said ‘Farhan, you have to make your film, you have to make it the way you want to make it and if you are feeling he is the guy, please go ahead and call him, don’t worry about me’. That is a very gracious thing,” he recalled. Hrithik later made a cameo appearance in 2011’s Don 2, which also starred SRK.

Story continues below this ad

ALSO READ | In Mr and Mrs Mahi, Rajkummar Rao plays a red flag who is worse than Kabir Singh

When asked about what makes Shah Rukh Khan a star, Frahan said that he is an “exceptionally charming and knowledgable” person who reads a lot. “He can talk about any topic and he will have his point of view on that. He is a good listener. He is well read and he is also interested in people. He is curious, adventurous. He likes to have a nice time and he doesn’t like the weight of things too much. He is fun guy to hang around,” he said and added, “There is an inherent charm he has that is magnetic and it is both on and off the screen. He is easy, it doesn’t feel laboured and that ease makes you feel comfortable. He works really hard and that has kept him where he is.”

Farhan is next working with Ranveer Singh on Don 3.

Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.

Why this era of Test batsmanship was Pujara’s as much as it was Virat Kohli’s

Sports50 min ago

Cheteshwar Pujara, a batsman known for his endurance, has retired from cricket with a remarkable legacy. Despite not seeking fame, he has contributed greatly to India's wins and was a master at facing spin. His career had its highs and lows, but he remained committed to the game and will now pursue commentary.

View all shorts

More Entertainment

Entertainment Deepika Padukone angrily confronts 'fan' secretly filming daughter Dua at airport; netizens slam videographer