In the 1990s, Salman Khan was known for playing Prem in Sooraj Barjatya’s films, while Shah Rukh Khan was synonymous with the name Rahul. Despite being contemporaries, Shah Rukh Khan and Sooraj Barjatya never collaborated. However, the director recently revealed that he had once considered Shah Rukh Khan for Hum Saath Saath Hain. In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Sooraj Barjatya disclosed that Shah Rukh Khan was initially considered for the role that eventually went to Saif Ali Khan.
It remains unclear whether the director planned to cast Shah Rukh Khan alongside Salman Khan or if it was an early thought during casting. The film featured Saif opposite Karisma Kapoor, with other leading actors like Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, and Mohnish Bahl. Before securing his place in the industry, Saif Ali Khan went through a rough patch in his career. In a past video shared on Rajshri Productions’ YouTube channel, Sooraj Barjatya mentioned that Saif was nervous while filming Hum Saath Saath Hain.
Surrounded by big stars, Saif felt immense pressure to perform. One of the most challenging moments for Saif was filming the song “Suno Ji Dulhan,” where he had to imitate Mahesh Thakur and Alok Nath’s expressions. According to Sooraj, Saif struggled with the scene and practiced it repeatedly. His then-wife, Amrita Singh, later revealed that he was so anxious he would rehearse in front of a mirror, leading to sleepless nights. Ultimately, after some much-needed rest, Saif nailed the scene in just one take.
While Shah Rukh Khan never worked with Sooraj Barjatya, Saif Ali Khan’s performance in the film was well-received, making it intriguing to ponder how different Hum Saath Saath Hain would have been with Shah Rukh Khan in Saif’s role.
