Shah Rukh Khan eventually played the lead in Ashutosh Gowariker's Swades, but the role was also considered for actors R Madhavan and Hrithik Roshan.
Amin Hajee, best known for playing Bagha in Lagaan and later joining the writing team of Swades, revealed this during a conversation with Siddharth Kannan. According to Hajee, Hrithik Roshan was narrated the script, while Madhavan even auditioned for the role.
Amin said, "We narrated the script to Hrithik Roshan as well. Madhavan also auditioned, and what an audition it was. He absolutely killed it. He is a great actor."
Hajee also revealed that Aamir Khan was originally slated to play the lead role in Swades.
"At that time, Aamir was supposed to play the role that Shah Rukh Khan eventually played. It was always Aamir from the start. After Lagaan, this was the next film we planned with Aamir," he said.
However, Aamir had reservations about certain aspects of the screenplay.
"Aamir did not like some of the things we had done. He did not like that version of the script, although he liked the plot," Amin recalled.
He added, "Aamir loved the story. He simply wanted to work further on certain aspects. But the more important issue was that he didn't have the time. Aamir does one film at a time."
Hajee also recalled how Shah Rukh Khan eventually came on board the project. The actor watched Lagaan at a special screening arranged at Adlabs in Film City.
"Shah Rukh wanted to watch Lagaan, and a special screening was organised for him. I happened to be sitting next to him. After watching the film, he said, 'I should be in Ashu's next film. My father was a freedom fighter. I should do Desh. I should be Mohan Bhargava.'"
He continued, "He called Ashu and said, 'Ashu, I have to be in your next film. You're a great director, and I want to be a part of your next film.'"
Following discussions and a test, Shah Rukh eventually landed the role of Mohan Bhargava.
"Then we tested, and I think it's all destiny. So Shah Rukh did Swades, I became a writer, and Charlotte co-wrote it with us," Amin said.
Swades was released in 2004 and also starred Gayatri Joshi, Kishori Ballal, Daya Shankar Pandey, Rajesh Vivek, and Lekh Tandon in key roles.
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