Can you ever imagine DDLJ without Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol? Can you ever imagine Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam without Aishwarya and Salman? Can you ever imagine Jab We Met without Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor? No, right! But someone did. Bobby Deol and not Shahid Kapoor was the first choice to play the lead role in Imtiaz Ali's Jab We Met.

Bobby had revealed in an interview that he was the first choice for the film but a lot went beyond him and the film was made without his knowledge, with Shahid Kapoor. He had also revealed that he was the one who had recommended Kareena's name for the project. But it was she, who chose to bring in her then-boyfriend, Shahid Kapoor, to play the lead role.

Kareena Kapoor, Bobby Deo, Tanya Deol
Kareena Kapoor, Bobby Deo, Tanya Deol

Bobby bares it all

"Back then, it was titled Geet. I had seen Socha Na Tha (which starred Bobby's cousin Abhay Deol) and instantly reached out to Imtiaz saying that he's an incredible storyteller with a terrific future. I told him that I wanted to work with him and he had the script of (what eventually became) Jab We Met ready. He was looking for financiers," Bobby said.

He further added, "The producers were like, oh no, that guy will make an expensive film. Kareena, on the other hand, didn't even want to meet Imtiaz." Later, Bobby approached his Soldier co-star Preity Zinta to play the role of Geet, but Preity could work on the film after six months."

"The Gupt actor further revealed, "Days passed. And suddenly I read that Ashtavinayak has signed Imtiaz for Jab We Met and Kareena is doing the film! And she had gotten her then-boyfriend, Shahid Kapoor to act opposite her. I was like, wow. Quite an industry."

Talking about Imtiaz Ali, Bobby said that he holds no grudges. He also said that he wishes to work with him in future. "He is a great director and doing so well. We're still friends. But I always tell him, 'Imtiaz, I won't watch any of your films until you make one with me. That'll be your best film'."

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