Why Shah Rukh Khan & Kajol Missed Mani Ratnam’s Alai Payuthey

Mani Ratnam’s Alai Payuthey was initially planned with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol but faced creative hurdles during development.

Why Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol Didn’t Star in Mani Ratnam’s Alai Payuthey

Mani Ratnam, the celebrated filmmaker known for his visually poetic romances, once envisioned Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in his Tamil classic, Alai Payuthey. This revelation came during a candid discussion at the G5A Retrospective, where Ratnam shared the behind-the-scenes story of how the Bollywood power duo almost became part of the 2000 film.

Ratnam revealed that Shah Rukh Khan was immediately drawn to the concept of Alai Payuthey, and Kajol was the natural choice for the female lead. However, a significant creative challenge involving the climax caused the project to stall. The filmmaker explained, “The story hinges on an accident and its aftermath, with flashbacks revealing the complexities of the relationship. At that time, I couldn’t work out this narrative element.”

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The delay led Ratnam to shift focus to another iconic film, Dil Se, leaving the concept of Alai Payuthey on the back burner. Eventually, he revisited the story, but instead of a Bollywood production, he crafted it as a Tamil masterpiece starring R. Madhavan and Shalini. The film became a landmark in Tamil cinema, and its Hindi remake, Saathiya, directed by Shaad Ali, also achieved critical and commercial success.

While Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol never starred in Alai Payuthey, the film’s legacy remains untarnished. Mani Ratnam’s ability to bring the story to life in a different language and with a new cast highlights his creative brilliance. The “what if” surrounding SRK and Kajol’s potential involvement only adds to the mystique of this cinematic classic.