Throwback: When Juhi Chawla turned down the role of ‘Draupadi’ in BR Chopra’s ‘Mahabharat’ | Hindi Movie News Filmymeet

Juhi Chawla, who is remembered for her impeccable performances in ‘Darr’ and ‘Ishq’, was also selected to play the role of Draupadi in ‘Mahabharat‘. She had cleared the screen test and bagged the part in BR Chopra‘s iconic TV show but had to let go of the same.

Previously, Juhi Chawla mentioned that her family was acquainted with only a few individuals from the film industry, including BR Chopra.

In a throwback interview, she was quoted by Indian Express, “I had met BR Chopra saab and he was such a well-mannered, learned man, who treated me with respect. He took my screen test for Draupadi’s role in Mahabharat and actually even selected me for that! Then, when Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was signed, he told me, ‘Don’t do it (my show). TV rehne do, if your film is getting made, work there’.”

In 1988, Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla made their debut with the film ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’. This movie was a contemporary take on ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and narrated the story of young lovers from two warring families. Directed by Aamir Khan’s cousin, Mansoor Khan, the film reached several milestones. All six songs became chart-toppers, with around 10 million cassettes sold. The iconic TV show, ‘Mahabharat’ from 1988 was produced by BR Chopra and directed by his son, Ravi Chopra. In this adaptation of the Hindu epic, the character of Draupadi was ultimately portrayed by Roopa Ganguly.