Gadar: Ek Prem Katha is one of the most watched films in Bollywood history and it marked 20 years on Tuesday, 15 June. While the movie is one of lead actor Sunny Deol's most iconic characters, Govinda and Kajol were originally rumoured to be choices for the leads. Director Anil Sharma weighed in on the rumours, in a recent interview.
Sharma said that he did narrate the script to Govinda but hadn't planned to cast him as Tara Singh. "Govinda was never signed for Gadar – Ek Prem Katha. I was directing him in Maharaja (1998). This is when I had narrated Gadar – Ek Prem Katha’s story to Govinda. Toh aisa nahi tha ki maine unko cast kiya tha. Balki woh toh Gadar – Ek Prem Katha ki kahani sunn ke darr gaye the (It's not like I cast him in the film. In fact, he got scared after listening to the story of Gadar Ek Prem Katha)," he told Bollywood Hungama.
He also added that Kajol was never approached for the film. However, many female actors were approached for the film before Ameesha Patel was finalised for the role of Sakina Ali.
"He was wondering how someone can pull off a film of this kind and scale. This was a time when there was no way of recreating Pakistan; nobody had attempted it for a major part of the film. So Sunny Deol was always the first choice."Anil Sharma, 'Gadar' director, to Bollywood Hungama
Gadar: Ek Prem Katha is a romantic action drama directed by Anil Sharma and written by Shaktiman Talwar. The film is set during the Partition in 1947 and follows the story of truck driver Tara Singh and his relationship with a Muslim Pakistani woman Sakina Ali. It stars Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel in the lead and Amrish Puri and Lilette Dubey appear in supporting roles.
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