Why Roshan didn't cast Shahrukh in ALWAYS KABHI KABHI?

Though there were three parts for which Sahahrukh Khan could have been considered as an actor in ALWAYS KABHI KABHI, director Roshan Abbas decided to have other actors on board instead. This was surprising for many in the close circle of Roshan as Shahrukh was also the producer of this teen high school entertainer and hence it was more or less a give that he would have a part to play as an actor as well.

"The film is about teenagers, or shall I say 'young adults', so Shahrukh would obviously have not fitted into any of those roles", smiles Roshan Abbas, the first time director who would be making his debut with ALWAYS KABHI KABHI, a Shahrukh Khan production, "Amongst the elders there were three other roles where he could have been considered. One was that of an English teacher, another of a Chemistry teacher and the third was that of the Principal."

However when Roshan thought hard around the casting decision, he felt that Shahrukh Khan would have been wasted had he played any of these parts. Instead actors like Lillete Dubey, Vijay Raaz and Akash Khurana came on board for the respective parts. So while Roshan went ahead and ensured that Lillete was not playing an over the top English teacher but was truly convincing, Vijay Raaz's part of a chemistry teacher didn't look like an Einstein. In fact Roshan went ahead and made him look like his own Hindi teacher from his school days.

"In any case, if at all I had to have him act in a film of mine, I would want it for a 200 minutes long film. Why restrict it to a 20 minutes appearance", jokes Roshan who has been associated with Shahrukh Khan for over 20 years since his theatre days.