The Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji-starrer Hum Tum, a landmark romantic comedy in Bollywood, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The film, directed by Kunal Kohli, remains cherished for its unique storytelling and memorable performances. On this significant occasion, Kohli shared intriguing insights into the film’s creation, particularly the casting journey that eventually led to Saif Ali Khan’s iconic role.
In an exclusive interview, Kohli revealed that Saif Ali Khan was not the first choice for the lead role. “We initially approached Hrithik Roshan,” Kohli disclosed. “Hrithik loved the script but expressed doubts about his current projects and his state of mind. He candidly told us, ‘I am not confident about the films I am doing right now. I don’t know how many of them will work or what will happen to them, and I don’t know whether I am in the right frame of mind to do this.’ He suggested waiting for a couple of his films to release before making a decision. However, Adi (Aditya Chopra) felt it would be too long to wait for two years and suggested we move on since Hrithik himself wasn’t sure.”
Kohli also revealed that Aamir Khan was considered for the role. “I can’t recall if we approached him before or after Hrithik,” he said. “But Aamir was going through his divorce with Reena at the time. He told us, ‘I am not even in that frame of mind right now. It is a rom-com, I am not sure, I will give it a miss.’ He wasn’t in the right space for it. So we were like, okay, no problem.”
Despite these initial setbacks, Saif Ali Khan’s eventual casting proved to be serendipitous. His portrayal of the charming and quirky character won hearts and contributed significantly to the film’s success.
Hum Tum follows the engaging story of two individuals who, after a series of quirky and serendipitous encounters, gradually grow fond of each other and eventually fall in love. As we celebrate two decades of this beloved classic, it’s fascinating to look back at the behind-the-scenes decisions that shaped its legacy.
