During a recent interview with an Indian media outlet, Rakesh Roshan shared insights into the making of the iconic 1995 film Karan Arjun, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan.
The filmmaker revealed that Karan Arjun was conceived as a “social experiment” to gauge changes in audience preferences over time. Interestingly, Roshan disclosed that both Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn initially exited the project during its early stages.
“Only Ajay can explain why he backed out of Karan Arjun. Even Shah Rukh left at one point,” Roshan shared. “Shah Rukh wanted to swap roles with Ajay to change their respective images, but I clarified that the film wasn’t about altering their personas—it was about serving the story.”
Roshan replaced Shah Rukh Khan with Aamir Khan and Ajay Devgn with Salman Khan. However, Shah Rukh later reconsidered and rejoined the film, despite initially not believing in the story.
“I told Aamir I had Shah Rukh’s dates for the following month and planned to begin shooting with him, to which Aamir kindly agreed,” Roshan explained.
Reflecting on the experience of working with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, Roshan recalled their camaraderie on set. “They were relatively new in the industry back then. We shared meals, hung out during outdoor shoots, and worked together like a family,” he said.
The filmmaker’s reflections provide a fascinating glimpse into the challenges and dynamics of creating one of Bollywood’s most memorable films.
