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In a recent interview with Vickey Lalwani, veteran ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar looked back at a moment in his career when he had to make a difficult choice between Bollywood superstars Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan for an advertisement. Kakkar revealed that although Shah Rukh had quoted a lower fee of Rs. 6 lakhs an amount he reportedly needed to help fund the purchase of his now-iconic Mumbai bungalow, Mannat—it was Aamir who eventually bagged the role after months of negotiation.
Prahlad Kakkar recalls tough casting choice: “Aamir quoted Rs. 17 Lakhs, Shah Rukh needed Rs. 6 Lakhs for Mannat”
Why Aamir Khan Was Chosen Over Shah Rukh Khan
Recalling the incident, Kakkar said, “Aamir was charging around Rs. 17 lakhs, while Shah Rukh was only asking for Rs. 6 lakhs. The reason Shah Rukh quoted that price was because he was short of Rs. 6 lakhs to buy his house, Mannat. He told me, ‘Give me Rs. 6 lakhs, and I’ll do the ad.’ But I felt he wasn’t right for the film.” According to Kakkar, his priority wasn’t the fee, but finding the right fit for the ad’s narrative. “I needed someone who had the image of a clean, innocent actor. Aamir had that after Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak—he had the image of the boy next door, someone simple and relatable. Shah Rukh, on the other hand, had debuted with Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, and his image wasn’t quite what I was looking for at the time.”
Kakkar revealed that it took nearly six months to lock in Aamir for the project. Despite the higher cost, he believed the actor’s on-screen image perfectly matched the ad’s tone and message.
Shah Rukh and Aamir: Early Careers and Current Projects
Shah Rukh Khan made his Bollywood debut in 1992 with Deewana, followed by other early releases like Chamatkar, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, and Dil Aashna Hai. Over the years, he became one of the biggest stars in Indian cinema, known for blockbusters like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Swades, and Jab Tak Hai Jaan. He was last seen in Dunki (2023) and is set to appear in a cameo in his son Aryan Khan’s debut directorial project, The Ba**ds of Bollywood*.
Aamir Khan, who first appeared on screen as a child in Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), made his adult lead debut in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). He went on to star in critically and commercially successful films like Rangeela, Raja Hindustani, Sarfarosh, Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots, PK, and Dangal. Most recently, he appeared in a special role in Coolie, starring Rajinikanth and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. Aamir will also appear in Ba**ds of Bollywood*, releasing on Netflix on September 18.
Though the casting decision may have seemed risky at the time, Kakkar stood by his choice, focusing on character alignment over budget—an approach that reflects his longstanding philosophy in storytelling.
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