The Hollywood legend in a Hindi film? Yes, that 'almost' happened.
Hollywood stars making blink-and-miss appearances in Bollywood is a thing. Sylvester Stallone in 'Kambakkht Ishq', Ben Kingsley in 'Teen Patti', Clive Standen in 'Namastey London', all aimed at adding global glitter to desi films. But did you know that one of Bollywood's most iconic blockbusters almost had Tom Cruise in the lead? Yes, back in the mid-90s, a young, debutant Bollywood director had big dreams and an even bigger idea: a cross-cultural love story with an American lead. And who better than Cruise, already a global heartthrob, to play the part? The script was originally written with an American protagonist in mind, making Cruise a natural fit. Talks were reportedly considered. But reality kicked in, and the filmmaker soon realized getting the Hollywood A-lister wasn’t practical. So, the script was tweaked, the character turned Indian, and the rest is history.
As Tom Cruise celebrates his birthday, let’s revisit this fascinating what-if moment from cinema’s past. Can you guess which beloved film could’ve starred him?
Yes, you read that right! Back in the early 1990s, a young Aditya Chopra was writing his dream debut film, which was a cross-cultural love story between an American boy and an Indian girl. And his first choice for the lead role was Tom Cruise.
According to Anupama Chopra’s book “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge: The Making of a Blockbuster,” Aditya genuinely considered casting Cruise as Raj. It made sense because Cruise was a global heartthrob and would have instantly added international appeal to the film. Kajol, who played Simran, later confirmed in an interview that Tom Cruise was indeed on Aditya’s wish list.
Because reality quickly set in. Cruise’s fee was too high for a modest Yash Raj Films budget. Plus, the logistics of casting a major Hollywood actor in a debut Bollywood film weren’t feasible in the mid-90s.
Yash Chopra, Aditya’s father and a legendary filmmaker himself, suggested he rewrite the story to make the characters NRIs instead. Aditya followed the advice, and the American lead was dropped in favor of a British-born Indian character. That change turned out to be a masterstroke.
Surprisingly, Shah Rukh Khan wasn’t the first (or second) choice for Raj.
Saif Ali Khan was initially offered the role. He loved the script but had to turn it down due to scheduling conflicts.
Aamir Khan and Salman Khan were also approached but declined for different reasons.
At the time, Shah Rukh Khan was known for his intense, negative roles in films like 'Baazigar' and 'Darr'. He wasn’t interested in playing a romantic lead and felt he was too old to fit the college-boy image that Bollywood romances often demanded. In Netflix’s The Romantics, SRK recalled, “I never wanted to do a romantic role… I thought I was too old.” He turned Aditya down four times.
But Aditya Chopra believed SRK’s expressive eyes had the power to redefine romance on screen. With some persuasion from Yash Chopra, who told him, “Romance is the way to superstardom,” SRK finally agreed.
Shah Rukh Khan as Raj became the face of Indian romance for a generation. 'DDLJ' not only became a cult classic but also established SRK’s legacy as the King of Romance.
But imagine a different universe, where a young American man, Tom Cruise, ran through mustard fields calling out Simran. A wild thought, isn't it?
Did you know Tom Cruise was considered for the role of Raj in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge? pic.twitter.com/stCjNrxwjm
— Radio Zindagi 1550AM (@radiozindagi) October 1, 2014
(Credit: Radio Zindagi 1550AM)
On Tom Cruise’s birthday, this little-known Bollywood what-if reminds us how close we were to a very different version of cinematic history.
