Rakesh Roshan opens up on casting Ameesha Patel opposite Hrithik Roshan in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai; 'we cast her just three days before....'

Hrithik Roshan's dream debut Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai completes 25 years this month. The movie, co-starring Ameesha Patel turned out to be a major blockbuster at the BO, and was directed by Rakesh Roshan.


Recently, in an interview with India Today Digital, Rakesh Roshan opened up on casting Ameesha Patel, who had no background in films. He said, "I was not nervous, actually. After reading the story, I realised it required fresh faces—both the leads had to be newcomers. Hrithik and I had already collaborated on a few projects, and he had helped me with the script. This gave me a better understanding that he can pull off this role well. We worked closely together, and since I knew his potential and he understood my expectations, it wasn’t difficult to bring it all together.”

He added, “As for Ameesha Patel, we cast her just three days before shooting began. She was a complete outsider to the film industry but delivered an impressive performance. It never felt like Hrithik and Ameesha were debutants—they performed with confidence and looked more like veterans.”

Talking about his own career, the director said, “I started with Khoon Bhari Maang, a heroine-centric film featuring Rekha, but instead of following that success with a similar theme, I chose a completely different path. Next, I made the double-role film Kishan Kanhaiya, followed by King Uncle with Jackie Shroff and a young girl in the lead. I’ve always challenged myself with diverse subjects. After that came Karan Arjun and Koyla. It was then that I realized I had never directed a romantic film, despite exploring various genres. That’s when the idea of Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai was born."


"Following its success, many expected me to make Hrithik a dancing star in another film. Instead, I challenged myself—and him—by casting him as a handicapped boy in Koi Mil Gaya. I knew his strengths as an actor and his ability to deliver deeply emotional performances," he added.