Why Paresh Ganatra lost lead role in Vipul Shah's 'Aankhen'
What's the story
The 2002 film Aankhen, featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Sushmita Sen, Arjun Rampal, Akshay Kumar, and Paresh Rawal, is still loved for its unique plot and treatment. But did you know that the character played by Rawal was originally meant to be played by actor Paresh Ganatra? In a recent interview with ETimes, Ganatra opened up about his journey in the film industry and this particular incident.
Film adaptation
How Ganatra got involved with 'Aankhen'
Ganatra revealed that Aankhen was an adaptation of his successful Gujarati play Aandho Paato. "When they were making the film on a small level, they said I will be playing the role of Ilyas played by Paresh Rawal, because in the play, I had played that role." "I was very happy because that play was a huge hit." However, things changed when Bachchan agreed to star in the film.
Casting changes
Changes in the film after Bachchan's involvement
Ganatra said, "When Mr. Bachchan said yes and got on board, director Vipul Shah explained to me that now the film will be mounted on a different scale." "I completely understood, and it was obvious that the rest of the cast also needed [to be set] accordingly." Despite this change, Ganatra insisted on having a role in the film since it was based on his play.
New character
His role in 'Aankhen' opened doors for him
Eventually, Ganatra was given the supporting role of Shailesh in Aankhen. He said, "That's when they gave me Shailesh's character and people really liked it. They still remember it." This role opened up new opportunities for him in Bollywood. "After seeing me in Aankhen, Anees Bazmee called me and gave me No Entry," he recalled.
Career progression
Ganatra's relationship with Bazmee
Ganatra had a fruitful association with Bazmee. He recalled, "He said there are only two scenes, but please do it, I won't cut." "But he liked my work so much that he put in more scenes of mine in No Entry and I shot with them for 21 days." The movie also starred Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Salman Khan, Bipasha Basu, Esha Deol, and Celina Jaitly.