Isha Koppikar says she could have done Priyanka Chopra’s role in Don, was hurt when Farhan Akhtar didn’t call her for sequel: ‘I’m fantastic at action’

Isha Koppikar, who is remembered for her popular dance numbers like “Khallas” in Company and “Aaj Ki Raat” in Don, recently opened up about her appearance in the Farhan Akhtar film and shared that she was offered a role in his debut film Dil Chahta Hai as well. Isha shared that her role in Don wasn’t as powerful as Priyanka Chopra’s role in the film and said that she was hurt when she wasn’t called back for the sequel.

Isha, in a chat with Galatta India, shared that she auditioned for Sonali Kulkarni’s role in Dil Chahta Hai, and she was offered the role too but by then, she had allotted her dates to another film. She got a chance to work with Farham again in Don, but she actually got that role because of Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi, as they liked her performance in D. “Shabana ji and Javed saab called me after my performance in D, where I played Chunky Panday’s wife, where I am held by the gangsters and he is murdered in front of me and I am crying and howling to save my husband. And I get a call from them and my trophy for that was Don,” she said.

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Isha Koppikar also spoke about playing smaller roles in films like Hum Tum and 36 China Town and said that she never watched those movies because she believed that she was meant for something more. Talking about Don, Isha said that she was happy to be a part of it but still felt that Priyanka’s role was more powerful than hers. “I feel Priyanka’s role was more powerful than mine. I would have given my left and right arm for it. I am a black belt in Taekwondo. I have been learning Taekwondo for 25 years now so I know I am fantastic at action and I can give any heroine a run for their money as far as action is concerned, even if they are half my age. I know I am good at it but what’s done is done,” she said.

Isha also shared that she was hurt when she wasn’t called for the sequel in 2011. “I did reach out. I was told they have already cast for it. It’s okay. You win some, you lose some,” she said and added that later, she didn’t bother much as the sequel didn’t do as well as the first part.