Aishwarya Rai rejected Karan Johar film because she thought she would be 'lynched' by..., it made...a star

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's illustrious career, spanning over two decades, has been marked by her meticulous selection of roles. The actress has consistently demonstrated her ability to pick and choose projects that align with her artistic vision, often rejecting high-profile films and collaborations with top directors. One such instance that comes to mind is her decision to decline a role in Karan Johar's film, a choice that was motivated by her apprehension of being ‘lynched’. 

In a candid throwback interview, Aishwarya revealed that she had been offered a significant role in Karan Johar's project, but her reservations about the character's portrayal led her to decline the offer. She expressed her concern that had she accepted the role, she would have been "lynched" by the audience and critics alike, implying that the backlash would have been intense.

"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,” she had told Filmfare.

Interestingly, Aishwarya was approached for the role of Tina in Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It had been offered to several other prominent actresses, including Twinkle Khanna, Urmila Matondkar, and Tabu. However, each of these actresses had declined the offer, paving the way for Rani Mukerji to ultimately secure the role. As fate would have it, Rani's performance in the film proved to be a career-defining moment, catapulting her to stardom.

Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rai was last seen in Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan II. Up next, there is no official announcement of her upcoming project if any.