Bollywood has had its share of “what could have been” casting stories, but few are as jaw-dropping as this one. Director Mansoor Khan, in a recent revelation, confirmed that Kajol was originally approached to play Shah Rukh Khan’s sister in the 2000 film Josh. Yes, SRK and Kajol as siblings. It’s a casting twist that makes you sit up and go: “Wait, what?!”
Kajol as Shirley
In the history of Bollywood, SRK and Kajol are arguably the most iconic romantic pair. Back-to-back pairing in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, they were known as the OG couple. We are all victims of once thinking they were married in real life too. That is how good their chemistry was.
So to imagine them playing twins? Siblings? It’s a cinematic crime.
However, during a recent interview, Mansoor Khan admitted that Kajol was his first choice to play Shirley in the movie Josh. But Kajol wasn’t convinced. Mansoor even revealed that Kajol was taken aback. “I narrated the script to Kajol because I wanted her to play the sister, after DDLJ, Baazigar, Karan Arjun and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. This is the ultimate sacrilege. After she heard the story idea, she got up to go out of my house. I asked her if she will do the film. She said no. She also wanted to play Max because it was such a charismatic character,” he revealed.
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A Blessing in Disguise
Kajol’s departure from the film left the director scrambling, but perhaps all this was for the better.
Enter Aishwarya Rai, who ultimately took on the role of Shirley. At the time, it was a bold move. Casting Aishwarya was risky, especially because at that time she was still solidifying her position in Bollywood. Casting her alongside SRK had the chance of always being considered for sisterly roles.
Thankfully, that never happened and soon after we got the two sharing a romantic screen space in the blockbuster movie Mohabbatein.
Director Mansoor Khan also praised Aishwarya and said, “Aishwarya was very professional. She accepted the role without any hesitation. I think Josh is one of her best films.”
What If? The Kajol-SRK Sibling Timeline
Imagine this: Kajol as SRK’s twin sister in Josh, right after romancing with him on screen multiple times. The audience wouldn’t have digested this one.
Also it’s not just about character suitability but about legacy too.
Would their romantic image have survived playing siblings on screen? Would audiences have embraced that shift? Probably not. In this rare instance, the audience’s deep emotional investment in a fictional pairing might have limited the creative potential of the actors.
A Chain Reaction of Casting Shakeups
The casting shakeup didn’t end with Kajol. Mansoor Khan also considered Aamir Khan for the role of Rahul, Shirley’s love interest. However, there was a major casting mix up here and Amir accidentally misunderstood his role. The actor thought he was being cast for Max (the role already signed by SRK). Once Amir got to know this wasn’t the case, he backed out of the project.
In the end, SRK and Aishwarya Rai carried Josh to solid commercial success, and their platonic chemistry as siblings remains one of the film’s defining strengths.
Everything Happens for a Reason
This reveal isn’t just a fun twist. It’s also a reminder of how thin the line is between iconic and awkward.
Kajol saying no to Josh may have preserved one of Bollywood’s most beloved romantic duos. And Aishwarya’s turn as Shirley? It added a new, refreshing chapter to her filmography and to the sibling dynamics in Hindi cinema.
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