Imran Khan reveals why he lost Chennai Express to Shah Rukh Khan, Delhi 6 to Abhishek Bachchan: 'I was quite devastated'

Imran Khan said he auditioned for Delhi 6 before debuting in 2008 and expressed disappointment over not landing significant roles due to his untested status.

Actor Imran Khan, who recently returned to films after a 10-year hiatus, revealed that several high-profile opportunities early in his career didn’t materialise as he had hoped. Filmmakers like Rohit Shetty and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra had approached him for projects such as Chennai Express and Delhi 6, but the roles eventually went to other actors.

Imran Khan reflects on missed opportunities in his career, including roles in Delhi 6 and Chennai Express. He connected with Delhi 6's story but lost the part to a more established actor. Despite setbacks, he appreciates the uniqueness of projects he missed.

Imran Khan talks about projects he lost

In an interview with PTI, reflecting on his early days, Imran said he auditioned for Delhi 6 in 2006–2007, before his debut in Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Naa. “At various points, there have been films that just didn’t come together. With Mehra, it was Delhi 6. I had not made any films yet and tested for the lead, but they didn’t want to invest in an untested actor,” he told PTI.

Imran said he was particularly drawn to Delhi 6 because he related to the story of an American boy of Indian origin navigating life in India. “I was born in the States and grew up as a child of two worlds, so I connected with the character. I would have loved to be part of that film,” he said. Looking back, he added, “The film has aged well. At the time, I was quite devastated not to get the part, but they wanted a more established actor. This was before my debut.”

He also spoke about Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, a 2018 film he was attached to for a year, but ultimately missed out on following the lukewarm reception of his 2013 film Gori Tere Pyaar Mein. “I got dropped from the film, which was out of my hands. The film turned out well. It’s unique and original, and I appreciate that someone tried to push boundaries,” he said.

Imran recalled that filmmaker Rohit Shetty had approached him for the 2013 blockbuster Chennai Express shortly after the release of Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Naa. However, after initial discussions and a narration, both realised that the project wasn’t the right creative fit for him. The film eventually starred Shah Rukh Khan.

“We had a couple of conversations about it, but we figured we weren’t in sync creatively. The narration was hilarious, and the film turned out to be exactly that. I understood what he was going for and found it funny, but I didn’t feel I was a good fit for the role. I told him (Rohit Shetty), ‘I don’t see us syncing.’ Shah Rukh was a better choice. I don’t think I could top Shah Rukh,” the actor said.

About Imran's career

The 43-year-old actor debuted in 2008 with Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Naa and went on to feature in romantic comedies like I Hate Luv Storys, Break Ke Baad, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, and the action-comedy Delhi Belly.