Salman Khan and Sooraj Barjatya are coming together. The hunt is on for the leading lady of this untitled film. So who will be Prem’s dream girl? While speculations are rife that it will be a new face, the current crop of heroines (especially those who lost out on Kick) are hopeful on landing a film with the actor this time. However, for Rajshri, the leading lady is an unique creature.
She has to fit the typical mould. Sooraj will be looking for the girl-next-door and not your typical diva. The girl Sooraj picks will need to have more in common with a Bhagyashree, Sonali Bendre, and Amrita Rao... After Hrs asked Rajshri’s previous heroines who they thought was the right girl for the job. Here’s what they had to say...
Bhagyashree
It would depend on the heroine’s charactersation and what type of girl she is, like a village maiden or a city girl, and what Soorajji would want, but if you ask me my actress’s choice opposite Salman, I would suggest Deepika Padukone.
I think she would fit any type of character and they haven’t been paired before. I worked with Soorajji in my first film Maine Pyar Kiya and I know he will take an actress who suits the role. For him it’s not about star value. I remember when Soorajji met me for the story narration. Our parents knew each other and he told my parents he wanted to come home and meet me for a story narration.
The way we met was funny and almost like a girl-meet-boy for a mariage proposal. He told me he wanted to cast me in his film. At that time I had no interest in joining films, so I refused. He wouldn’t take no for an answer and came back to me seven times till I finally ran out of excuses and was left with no choice but to say yes. He agreed to all my conditions.
That’s how single-minded he is when he wants someone for his main lead. I admire that about him. Every director should be that adamant about their films and characters. Soorajji makes his actors feel special. He would handle me with kid gloves and go out of his way to make me feel comfortable. Anybody who has worked for Rajshri Films can never have any complaints against them. It’s like working in a home away from home.
Sonali Bendre
Soorajji has always chosen traditional Indian beauties as his heroines. Of course it depends on the characterisation but whoever the heroine will be, she will have a lovely Indian face. Amongst the contemporary lot, I would like to see Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone or Parineeti Chopra cast opposite Salman. Deepika has a lovely Indian face so it would be interesting to see her opposite Salman.
My role in Hum Saath Saath Hain was of a foreign-returned Indian doctor who wore jeans, but a nose-ring too. She was traditional and yet in one of my dialogues I say that I don’t mind living with him without getting married. I remember when Soorajji came to narrate me the story I was wearing a nose-ring. Initially he had conceptualised his character of one who wore traditional Indian outfits, but when he saw me he insisted I wear the nose-ring throughout the film too.
Amrita Rao
Soorajji is very careful with his casting as he always follows his heart and doesn’t get influenced by people in the film industry or who is the flavour of the month or the No.1 heroine in Bollywood. He is true to his role and his heart. Every Rajshri heroine will always have that one Sooraj Barjatya film which is super special in her career.
If you are asking me whom I would like to see cast opposite Salman, the casting would have to be unique with whom he’s never been seen before. And I would go for Parineeti Chopra, as the pairing would be fresh apart from the fact that she’s a fantastic actress too.
Soorajji had called me to his office for a meeting and not a narration for Vivah. I was accompanied by my mother and manager, while he and his father Raj Kumar Barjatyaji were also present at the meeting. They have a mandate that they follow.
They ask you lots of questions, ask you to read from a book to know your Hindi diction and mostly get to know what kind of a person you are. It’s very important to be comfortable with whoever they work. A couple of days after the meeting, I got a call from Soorajji saying, “We want to work with you, but you have to tell us whether you want to work with us too.” There is the industry on one side and there are the Barjatyas on the other. They are wonderful people who possess this rare sensitivity and personal touch, not only for the lead actors, but for each and every cast member in their films.
While his father Rajji was a little hesitant about my ability to perform such a challenging role, Soorajji never had any apprehensions. Till date he addresses me as Poonam (her character in the film) and every time he’s on a recce to Mathura or a small town in UP, he messages me to say, in these quaint streets Poonam must be somewhere. The Rajshris are a part of my life. They are like my family. I will always have an amazing yet unspoken respect and love for them.
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