In a recent interview with Cyrus Broacha, dialogue writer Abbas Tyrewala shared that Shah Rukh was originally signed to play Munna, with Makarand Deshpande as Circuit. Interestingly, the character Circuit, later played by Arshad Warsi, was initially named Khujli.This fun fact adds a unique twist to the film’s story!
Abbas shared that he prefers not to interfere with a film once he’s finished writing it, and he avoids visiting the set since his work is done. When asked about changes to the dialogue during filming, he noted that it’s a mixed bag—sometimes beneficial, sometimes detrimental. However, he highlighted that for Munna Bhai, the changes ultimately made the film much more memorable.
Tyrewala explained that when Arshad Warsi joined the film, he suggested a more fitting name for his character, inspired by his short temper. This led to the name ‘Circuit,’ which Abbas discovered while watching the film. Reflecting on this change, Abbas praised Rajkumar Hirani’s decision, stating that ‘Circuit’ is much more memorable than the original name, ‘Khujli.’ He clarified that while the name ‘Khujli’ was initially suggested by Hirani, the decision to switch to ‘Circuit’ was ultimately a smart choice.
Abbas has crafted dialogues for notable films such as Maqbool, Main Hoon Na, and Pathaan. He is currently working on King, starring Shah Rukh Khan, and War 2, featuring Hrithik Roshan. In 2023, Rajkumar Hirani and Shah Rukh Khan collaborated on the film Dunki.
