Shyam Benegal once wanted to sign Hrithik Roshan for ‘Gautam Buddha’
Shyam Benegal once wanted to sign Hrithik Roshan for ‘Gautam Buddha’
The legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal had once said “You CAN’T look away when Shah Rukh Khan is on screen”; he wanted Hrithik Roshan to play Gautam Buddha in an ambitious biopic
Benegal fans were disheartened at his demise and also over the fact that the legendary director recently celebrated his 90th birthday, on December 14, with gusto in the presence of industry friends – Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Divya Dutta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajit Kapur and Kunal Kapoor, among others.
Since his passing, various newspapers and news websites have talked about his immense contribution to cinema and for starting a new wave in Bollywood.
In a 2009 interview, Shyam Benegal expressed his admiration for Shah Rukh Khan’s acting prowess and screen presence. Shyam Benegal looked upon Shah Rukh Khan a truly brilliant actor. When he comes on the screen, you hardly look anywhere else but at him – he is that kind of an actor.”
When he was asked if he would like to cast the superstar, the filmmaker replied, “How can he cast him? He doesn’t have a subject that might even interest him.
More than a year before he spoke about Shah Rukh Khan, Shyam Benegal, opened up about Hrithik Roshan. This was a time when he wanted to make a film on Gautam Buddha and expressed his desire to cast the Fighter actor in the lead role.
In an interview on December 25, 2007, Shyam Benegal confirmed that he had approached Hrithik Roshan and that the actor seemed keen to work on the film. He said, “Hrithik is quite keen to do the film and has asked for the script. Right now, we are working on putting the script together.”
Shyam Benegal continued, “they will take some time to get the script in place. But yes, he is keen on casting Hrithik. He felt Hrithik will suit the character of Buddha as his facial features are appropriate for the role.
In the same interview, he also mentioned that the Gautam Buddha film would be a very expensive project. Benegal planned to produce himself along with a production house from Sri Lanka. Sadly, the film never materialized.
News Edit KV Raman
