Shah Rukh Khan’s Raees emerged as one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2017, though it is now considered an under-performer. The movie received mixed reviews upon release and is often mentioned among Shah Rukh’s commercial challenges during the late 2010s. Raees also marked the Bollywood debut of Pakistani actor Mahira Khan, which remains her only Hindi film role to date. In a recent interview, Rahul Dholakia, the film’s director, shed light on his decision to cast Mahira, stating, “It’s rare to find a 30-something heroine in India with good Hindi.”
In an interview with casting director Mukesh Chhabra for Mashable India, Dholakia elaborated, “We wanted an actor to play an 1980s Muslim girl. So, our first priority was to have an actress with good Hindi speaking skills, and if she had a little bit of an Urdu twang, even better. We also wanted our heroine to have an innocence. And Shah Rukh was 50, so we wanted a heroine who is at least 30-something.”
He further explained, “Now, there are very few actresses (in India), who are in their 30s with good Hindi and an innocence. There was Deepika, Kareena, and Anushka. We had these three or four heroines who met the criteria. But now, the problem with them was that they are too expensive and the role is too small for them. Then we went through a complete list which included Sonam and Katrina. At the end of the day, we realised this wasn’t working for us. They were not really fitting the role. Shah Rukh Khan cannot romance an Alia Bhatt!”
Dholakia recounted how Mahira Khan came into consideration: “I think both Gauri (Khan)’s mother and my mother had seen Mahira in some Pakistani television show. They both said: ‘Yeh ladki achi hai‘. Honey Trehan was casting for us. I called him up and asked if he knew Mahira. He said, ‘She is here in Mumbai for some promotional work.’ He then said, ‘I will bring her tomorrow, you can audition her for the role.’ We then auditioned her at the Excel office. After the audition, I declared, ‘I have found my Aasiya.’”
Mahira shared her perspective during the Faiz International Festival in 2016, saying, “I went to Mumbai for the promotions of Humsafar. A few phone calls kept coming and I could not pick. Then I got a message, ‘big film, pick up.’ I thought, ‘I will enjoy this call if nothing else’.”
She continued, “They explained the film to me, but it I could not understand. Then they said it is an Excel production. That rang a bell, they had done some great films such as Dil Chahta Hai. So I said ‘okay’. Then I was asked to meet the director the next day. I got up early morning, met them. I was told a bit about the story but Shah Rukh Khan remained a secret. I auditioned for them the next day and later got a call saying ‘you have got the part’. I asked them, what part it was and I was told, ‘You are the lead opposite Shah Rukh Khan.’”
Raees was a 2017 Bollywood crime drama directed by Rahul Dholakia, starring Shah Rukh Khan in the titular role, alongside Mahira Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Set in the 1980s, the film followed the rise of Raees Alam, a bootlegger in Gujarat, who navigates the world of illegal liquor trade amidst political and law enforcement challenges. As Raees’s empire grows, he faces off against a determined police officer, portrayed by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who aims to bring him down. The film combined action, drama, and social commentary, highlighting themes of ambition, loyalty, and the clash between morality and survival. It was known for its gripping narrative, high-energy performances, and memorable music, including the popular song ‘Zaalima’.
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