Not Shah Rukh Khan, but Hrithik Roshan was the first choice for ‘Don 2,’ reveals Farhan Akhtar | Filmymeet

In the world of Bollywood, casting decisions often become the stuff of legend, and Farhan Akhtar’s choice to cast Shah Rukh Khan as the iconic Don is no exception. As the filmmaker gears up to revive the Don franchise over a decade after the release of ‘Don 2,’ he recently shared an intriguing backstory about how Shah Rukh Khan ended up with the titular role in the first installment of the series, despite Hrithik Roshan being his initial choice.
Farhan Akhtar, who had previously collaborated with Hrithik Roshan on the critically acclaimed film ‘Lakshya,’ was keen to work with the actor again. During a conversation on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Farhan revealed that he had initially committed to offering the role of Don to Hrithik. “Hrithik and I did Lakshya, and we had an incredible, wonderful time working together. So I reached out to Hrithik and said, ‘I’m thinking I’m going to remake Don.’ He said, ‘Sounds amazing, dude!’ I said, ‘Let me write it and I’ll bring it to you,’ Farhan recalled.

However, as Farhan began writing the script, he couldn’t help but envision Shah Rukh Khan in the role. It wasn’t Shah Rukh’s larger-than-life cinematic persona that influenced Farhan’s decision, but rather the actor’s off-screen personality. “When I was writing, the only person whose face is popping into my head is Shah Rukh, from what I knew him. We’d spent some time together, hanging out at a party here or a party there, with some common friends in Delhi. So the way he was, not his cinematic image, but him, his personality, his wit, the little sarcastic sense of humour he has, self-deprecating, he can make fun of himself. When I was writing, I thought this guy is the best actor for this part,” Farhan explained.

This realization put Farhan in a difficult position, as he had already given his word to Hrithik. In a moment of honesty, he decided to approach Hrithik and explain the situation. He then called Hrithik to confess that the more he pens the script, the more he feels Shah Rukh is the right choice for this role.’ Hrithik’s response was incredibly gracious. He told Farhan not to worry, and if he thinks Shah Rukh is the guy, then he should go ahead and cast him.

Interestingly, Hrithik Roshan did make an appearance in ‘Don 2’ (2011), playing one of Shah Rukh’s character’s disguises. The two actors later reunited on screen in Zoya Akhtar’s directorials ‘Luck By Chance’ (2009) and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ (2011), where they once again showcased their incredible chemistry.
As Shah Rukh Khan now steps down from the role of Don, the baton is being passed to Ranveer Singh, who will take on the titular character in the upcoming ‘Don 3.’ Meanwhile, Shah Rukh is set to portray another don in Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘King,’ while Hrithik Roshan is currently filming for Ayan Mukerji’s highly anticipated spy thriller, ‘War 2.’