'I'd have been lynched had I done it': Aishwarya Rai reveals why she declined Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Karan Johar made his directorial debut with the 1998 blockbuster movie ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.’

The movie featured Rani Mukerji, playing the the role of Tina, the college heartthrob. Tina’s character in the movie, Karan had revealed initially was inspired by his childhood friend, Twinkle Khanna and he even wanted to cast her for the role, an offer that Twinkle rejected.

Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan were among other actresses whom Karan offered the role, before finally casting Rani.

Nearly a year after the movie’s release, Aishwarya in an interview to Filmfare revealed why she did not accept to play Tina.

The actress said that even though she was a newcomer, she was compared with all the senior actresses in the film industry. At the time, Aishwarya was looking for roles that did not restrict her to her good looks but also added substance to her character.

Speaking with Filmfare, Aishwarya had said, “I’m in a catch-22 situation, really. Though I’m a newcomer, I’m compared with all the senior actresses.” She added, “If I’d done the film, it would have been tittered that, ‘Look, Aishwarya Rai is back to doing what she did in her modelling days—leaving her hair straight, wearing minis, and pouting glamorously into the camera.’ Ultimately, the hero goes back to the more real person. I know if I’d done Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I would have been lynched.”