‘Wanted’ (2009) gave a new direction to Salman Khan’s career. Producer Boney Kapoor told that Salman’s choice was Katrina Kaif, but he chose Ayesha Takia for the new pair. This remake of the Telugu film ‘Pokiri’ proved to be a big hit.
The second innings of Salman Khan’s career started with Prabhu Deva’s film ‘Wanted’, due to which he maintained his dominance at the box office in the 2010s. The 2009 film helped the superstar recover from a string of flops and established him as an action star. The film, which has now become a cult classic, is best remembered for its action and its unique and innovative pairing with Ayesha Takia, but all these years later, the film’s producer Boney Kapoor has revealed that Ayesha was not the first choice for the film.
Which heroine was the first choice of the makers of the film ‘Wanted’?
Salman saw the film and gave his approval. Prabhu Deva was selected to direct the film. Boney wanted a new heroine, while Salman wanted to cast his frequent co-actress in the film. Recalling this, Boney said, ‘Salman Khan had suggested Katrina Kaif’s name for the role of the lead heroine in ‘Wanted’, the Hindi remake of Pokiri, but the character is initially indecisive about her feelings towards Radhe, so I thought it would be better if we cast an actress who had never worked with him before. We considered many names including Genelia D’Souza and then finally we finalized Ayesha Takia.
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How did Boney Kapoor decide to make ‘Wanted’?
Boney Kapoor further said, ‘I coincidentally watched Puri Jagannath’s 2006 Telugu blockbuster ‘Pokiri’. I felt that Salman would be perfect for the character of Radhey aka Rajveer Shekhawat. I wanted him to watch the film and I had organized two preview shows, but Salman could not come because he was busy. I was worried that the Tamil remake would be released and if it became as big a hit as the original film, then some other Bollywood actor or director would show interest in the rights of the Hindi remake and like Ghajini, I would lose the rights of Pokiri as well. ‘Wanted’ was released in theaters on September 18, 2009 and proved to be a big hit. It grossed over Rs 60 crore in India and had a world wide collection of around Rs 100 crore worldwide.
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