Mumbai: Amid the ongoing nepotism debate, star kid Soha Ali Khan revealed that it’s not easy to get the big break in Bollywood even after hailing from a film background.
When outsiders think it is easy for star kids to get films, Soha, daughter of actress Sharmila Tagore and sister of actor Saif Ali Khan, disclosed that she was replaced in her debut film after a big star signed the project.
Divulging further details about the project, Soha said, she was approached by veteran filmmaker-actor Amol Palekar for ‘Paheli’.
She was quite excited about her first project, but when Shah Rukh Khan came on board as the male lead and she was replaced with Rani Mukerji. “It was my first film. I quit Citibank. I had to pay ₹17,000 as my rent. I was earning a good salary. And my plan was to leave for London. I was thinking that I would get a work permit, and I would eventually settle there. Then Amol Palekar came to me, and he spoke to me about the script. I had been offered some films because of my brother (Saif Ali Khan) and my mother (Sharmila Tagore),” Soha was quoted as saying by Mashable India.
Soha further shared that as Amol was a “credible and renowned filmmaker”, she immediately agreed to the project offered to her.
On the filmmaker’s behest, she even left her banking job for prepping up for the film. However, she was unaware that until one signs a contract or starts shooting for the film, they can be replaced anytime.
Recalling being replaced in her debut film, Soha said, “Amol ji called me and said, ‘Shah Rukh Khan is playing the role. I said, ‘Wow, that’s amazing.’ He said, ‘No, you don’t understand. That means you are not playing this role. Somebody else will be playing this.’ I was like, ‘Ouch’. Then I was like, ‘What do I do now? How do I pay my rent?”
Soha’s role went to Rani Mukerji and the film received mixed reviews and had an average run at the box-office.
After losing her debut Bollywood film, Soha went on to sign a Bengali film, ‘Iti Srikanta’, directed by Anjan Das. The film also featured Adil Hussain and Reema Sen.
Later, Soha made her Bollywood debut opposite Shahid Kapoor, Ayesha Takia and Tulip Joshi in ‘Dil Maange More!!!.’
However, Soha gained recognition with her role in Aamir Khan and R Madhavan starrer ‘Rang De Basanti’.
Soha has also featured in ‘Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster’ and ‘Ghayal: Once Again’ among others.
She was last seen in the horror film ‘Chhorii 2’, directed by Vishal Furia.
