Deepika Padukone was Imtiaz Ali’s first choice for Rockstar, but the role went to Nargis Fakhri

On Rockstar’s ninth anniversary, did you know that Imtiaz Ali had once revealed that Deepika Padukone was his first choice for the film? The role eventually went to Nargis Fakhri.

Director Imtiaz Ali’s cult hit Rockstar released nine years ago. The film cemented Ranbir Kapoor as a quintessential Imtiaz hero, and gave Nargis Fakhri her Bollywood debut.

Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor and Imtiaz Ali pose together.

But did you know that Imtiaz had initially eyed Deepika Padukone for the lead role? In a post on her website years later, the filmmaker had written about their meeting, and how the collaboration never came to pass.

In his 2019 post, he described the meeting: “She got off the car at the hotel porch and looked at me. I immediately knew that this is the girl I have come to meet. She also immediately knew that I am the director she had come to meet because she had those eyes, that looked as if they know.”

He added, “None of Deepika’s movies had released till then. I had come to meet her for Rockstar. I wanted her for Rockstar but the movie did not get made till many years later. I worked with her in other movies. Many things happened over many years at many places, all of which I might forget, but I will never forget the girl who stepped out of the car at the hotel and looked at me as if she knew.”

Deepika worked with Imtiaz in 2009’s Love Aaj Kal, and then in Cocktail, which Imtiaz co-wrote, and Tamasha, co-starring Ranbir. Deepika and Ranbir, meanwhile, have starred together in Yah Jawaani Hai Deewani and Bachna Ae Haseeno.

Imtiaz’s most recent film was a poorly received remake of Love Aaj Kal, starring Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan. He also created the Netflix series She.

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