DID YOU KNOW! Kareena Kapoor had got THIS actor replaced by her then-boyfriend Shahid Kapoor in Jab We Met
It’s been nearly 15 years since Imtiaz Ali’s romance comedy Jab We Met, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan, became a household name with its young story line that tugged at many people’s heartstrings. People’s hearts and minds are still carved with memories of Aditya and Geet. It is regarded as one of the most popular Hindi films.
However, many people are unaware that Kareena replaced Bobby Deol in the film’s starring part with her then-boyfriend Shahid.
Bobby explained in an honest 2017 interview with HuffPost that after seeing Socha Na Tha, he was eager to collaborate with Imtiaz on Jab We Met, which was then titled Geet. After Kareena declined to talk to Imtiaz, he requested Shri Ashtavinayak studio to sign him and even approached Preity Zinta. Later, he learned that the studio had signed Imtiaz, so Kareena arranged for him to be replaced in the film by Shahid.
“I was to do it. I was also to do Jab We Met. Back then, it was titled Geet. I had seen Socha Na Tha and instantly reached out to Imtiaz saying that he’s an incredible storyteller with a terrific future. I told him that I wanted to work with him and he had the script of (what is now) Jab We Met ready. He was looking for financiers.”
“There was a studio called Shri Ashtavinayak who wanted to sign me. I told them that let’s sign Imtiaz. He has a script ready. And let’s talk to Kareena Kapoor (Bobby had worked with Bebo in Ajnabee). The producers were like, oh no, that guy will make an expensive film. Kareena, on the other hand, didn’t even want to meet Imtiaz. I took them to Preity (his close friend and Soldier co-star). She agreed but said she can do it only after 6 months. So we were stuck.”
“Days passed. And suddenly I read that Ashtavinayak has signed Imtiaz for Jab We Met and Kareena is doing the film! And she had gotten her then boyfriend, Shahid Kapoor to act opposite her. I was like, wow. Quite an industry. We were also to do Highway together but he again did his own thing. But I have no hard feelings against him. He is a great director and doing so well. We’re still friends. But I always tell him: ‘Imtiaz, I won’t watch any of your films until you make one with me. That’ll be your best film,” Bobby had recalled in the interview.
