Main Hoon Na Turns 20: Read 5 Lesser-Known Facts About The Film

In 2004, Farah Khan made a significant career shift from choreographer to filmmaker with the release of Main Hoon Na. Starring her close friend Shah Rukh Khan alongside Zayed Khan, Amrita Rao, and Sushmita Sen, the film was a commercial success for its impactful storyline, memorable music, and standout performances.

Fast forward to 2024, and Main Hoon Na celebrates its 20th anniversary, still revered for its dramatic elements particularly college students getting empowered one way or another, Sushmita Sen's iconic sarees and blouses that became a trend, and Shah Rukh Khan's character, the trustworthy friend we all wanted in our lives, ready to say "Main Hoon Na" whenever we need a boost.

I first watched Main Hoon Na a decade ago, and to this day, the romance between SRK and Sen remains one of the best parts to revisit. However, I recently discovered some surprising facts about the film. Did you know that Sushmita Sen was not initially a prominent character and wasn't even featured on the posters at the beginning? Also, Zayed Khan wasn't the first choice for Lucky's role—it was actually offered to Hrithik Roshan. Additionally, the director faced rejection from many big actors for Suniel Shetty's character. There are so many lesser-known facts about this film that I've recently learned—let's uncover them one by one!

Know 5 Lesser-Known Facts About The Film

1. Tabu's Cameo In The Film

Not many noticed, but Tabu had a brief cameo in Farah Khan's film as well. In the film, she appears as a teacher who watches Shah Rukh Khan dance. The cameo was incredibly short, lasting less than a second, but there's an interesting story behind it. Last year, Diet Sabya shared a tweet featuring a picture of Tabu and Khan from the film, questioning why Tabu agreed to such a fleeting appearance. Farah Khan responded, revealing that Tabu happened to be in Darjeeling for another shoot and visited her set. Farah spontaneously included Tabu in the shot, without any makeup and dressed in her personal clothes.

2. Zayed Khan Was Not The First Choice For Lucky

Khan in Mukesh Chhabra's talk show revealed that Hrithik Roshan was initially considered for the role of Lucky after his last film, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. He not only signed the contract but also received his signing amount. However, Hrithik had to exit the project due to scheduling conflicts. The production house also contacted Abhishek Bachchan, and Sohail Khan but swiftly found a replacement, leading to Zayed Khan ultimately landing the role of Lucky, SRK's younger brother, in the film.

3. More Casting Stories

Additionally, Amrita Rao, who portrayed Sanjana, was cast at the last minute. Before Amrita, Khan initially signed Ayesha Takia for the role. And same goes to Suniel Shetty, he was not the initial choice for the antagonist role of Raghavan. Before approaching Suniel, Farah considered several actors, including Kamal Haasan. Farah mentioned that Shah Rukh Khan was confident that Kamal Haasan would agree to do the film. However, the actor made Khan wait the entire day in Chennai and ultimately declined. Farah then approached Nana Patekar, who also made her wait but provided valuable insights for the character. Later the role went to Shetty.

4. Main Hoon Na Is Rakhi Sawant's Debut Film

Khan also disclosed that Rakhi Sawant joined the shooting of Main Hoon Na two days after it began in Darjeeling. Initially, another actress had been cast, but her mother threw many tantrums, leading to her replacement by Rakhi Sawant. Rakhi portrayed a glamorous, airheaded character in the film, with Zayed Khan's character initially attracted to her before realising his deeper feelings for his best friend, played by Amrita Rao.

Farah Khan also recalled about Rakhi Sawant's audition for the film, revealing that Rakhi had arrived wearing a burka but had a bikini on underneath, leaving the camera team quite surprised with her bold approach.

5. Sushmita Sen's Revelations About Her Character

Sushmita Sen recently shared that she did not expect the film to be so successful for her. Farah Khan even called her to apologise, explaining that her role was significantly shortened in the final edit. Sushmita revealed, "Farah called me and said, 'Sush, I have seen the final edit, and I have to apologise to you. Shah Rukh, of course, has the role; Zayed, Amrita, everybody has a role; you are barely there.' I thought, 'Oh, I'm barely there in the film—not that I had shot a lot, but still barely there in the film." Despite this, the response to her role was immense, with posters featuring her alongside Shah Rukh Khan appearing after the film's release.

Have you heard of any of these facts before? Let us know in the comments if you've come across more interesting back stories about Main Hoon Na!