Kajol was the first choice for Josh instead of Aishwarya Rai, say insiders — the drama behind the sibling-twins casting

In one of the juicier casting revelations to emerge lately, it has come to light that acclaimed actress Kajol was originally offered the role of Shirley Diaz in the 2000 film “Josh”, directed by Mansoor Khan, which ultimately went to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. What makes the story even more controversial is that Kajol reportedly refused to play SRK’s sister, demanding the lead “Max” role instead.

According to Mansoor Khan, he had envisioned Kajol in the sister’s part at first — even though she and Shah Rukh Khan were one of Bollywood’s most beloved romantic pairs at that time. “This is the ultimate sacrilege,” he said of the idea. He revealed that when he narrated the story to Kajol (after hits like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai-era), her reaction was explosive: she got up, walked out of his house, and told him she wanted to play Max, not the sister.

Once Kajol declined the sister role, Mansoor Khan turned to Aishwarya Rai, who accepted it without such demands. He praised her professionalism and said that the film ended up being one of her best.

Why this revelation is controversial

• Star-pairing shock: Kajol and SRK had built a strong romantic on-screen identity together. Offering her the sister role disrupted audience expectations, which made her refusal understandable and the eventual casting decision bold.

• Ambition vs type-casting: Kajol’s move to aim for the male lead (Max) flips the usual gender mode in Bollywood casting. Her refusal suggests that actresses even then were wary of being boxed into supporting roles, regardless of how “big” the film was.

• Sibling pairing theatrics: The film featured SRK and Aishwarya as twin siblings — a non-romantic pairing between major stars, which in itself was unusual and got mixed responses. The behind-the-scenes push and pull over who would play what highlights how casting choices carry huge weight in audience perception.

• Legacy and retrospective view: With 25 years since the film’s release, revisiting this casting trivia forces a re-look at how roles were offered, accepted or declined — and what that says about industry power-dynamics even then.

What this means for Bollywood and audiences

For fans of Kajol and SRK’s legendary romantic collaborations, it’s a “what-if” moment: what could have happened if Kajol had taken that sister role — or accepted Max instead? For Aishwarya, it reinforces her professionalism and willingness to embrace unconventional roles. For the industry, it offers a peek into the negotiation dynamics behind the scenes — where star voice, role prestige and audience expectation all clash.