Salman Khan was not cast in Vivah as he didn't have ‘bholapan’, reasons director Sooraj Barjatya

Sooraj Barjatya made Vivah with Shahid Kapoor in the lead. The film, which also starred Amrita Rao, was a huge box office success.

Vivah remains one of the most memorable roles of Shahid Kapoor's career, which made him an overnight sensation. Directed by Sooraj Barjatya, the 2006 release starred Amrita Rao alongside him. But why did the director choose Shahid for the part over Salman Khan, with whom he had given multiple hits? In an interview with Digital Commentary, Sooraj revealed why. (Also read: After Salman Khan fans got upset, Shahid Kapoor clarifies he’d never take a dig at ‘someone so senior’)

Shahid Kapoor won hearts with his performance in Vivah. Sooraj Barjatya revealed why Salman Khan was not cast in the lead.

What Sooraj said

During the chat, when Sooraj was asked why he cast Shahid for Vivah and not Salman, he said: “Uss tarah se dekhu toh main bohot hi selfish aadmi hu because nothing is more important than me being a writer and director. Chaahe Maine Pyaar Kiya ho, Hum Aapke Hain Koun ho… toh humesha woh subject ne pukara nahi toh ek ek ko 5 saal kyu liya maine? Humesha subject khud bolta hain hume ye banana hain (If I look at it like that, I am selfish with my own work. Be it any of my previous films, it was always the subject matter which calls me first, or else why would I take 5 years for a film? It is always the subject matter).”

'Salman bhai fit nahi honge'

He went on to add, “Ye ek kahani thi jo mere father ne di thi, ek newspaper cutting thi. Ki Meerut ke kisi darji ne apni wife ko saat phere liye, jal gayi thi dulhan. Toh uss humanity ko leke we thought of making a love story. Jab ye call aata raha mujhe toh mujhe laga ki isme Salman bhai fit nahi honge. Kyuki you have a major star and bholapan, umar chahiye. Umar toh kisi ke liye nahi rukti. Toh isiliye Shahid-Amrita ki casting hui (My father had shared this story from a newspaper cutting, in which a tailor from Meerut had married a girl even though she got scarred by fire burns. We thought of making a story based on that humanity. But the story demanded someone fresh and naive, so Salman was not the right fit. Hence, Shahid and Amrita were cast).”

Sooraj Barjatya's last feature film was Uunchai (2022), which was a story of three old men who set out to conquer Mount Everest. He won the National Award for Best Director for the film.

Meanwhile, Shahid will be seen next in Deva. Salman's next film Sikander will release on Eid.