Was Irrfan Khan the first choice for playing Jaideep Ahlawat's character in Maharaj? Here's what we know

MUMBAI: Junaid Khan's debut film Maharaj has received a good response from the audience and critics. Also starring Jaideep Ahlawat, Sharvari Wagh, and Shalini Pandey, it has become one of the most loved OTT films of 2024 thanks to its hard-hitting story and performances of the star cast.

Also read - Proud that India is shining on the global content map with Maharaj becoming a huge hit!’ : Siddharth P. Malhotra

Jaideep Ahlawat's performance has been one of the most adored ones in the film. But do you know, it was Irrfan Khan who was the original choice for the character he played? Director Siddharth P. Malhotra himself made the revelation recently.

Jaideep Ahlawat aced the character of Jadunath Maharaj in the film, and one can hardly find any flaw in his portrayal. At the recent press conference of Maharaj, director Siddharth P. Malhotra praised the actor for his performance and also revealed that it was Irrfan Khan who was their first choice for the character.

Speaking at the event, he said that the only person they could imagine for the role of Maharaj was the late actor. "God bless his soul. In our opinion, nobody could play this role but Irrfan Khan," he said while adding that it’s a lot of pressure for Jaideep, and he kept telling the actor that only he could match Irrfan’s level of performance.

Praising Jaideep, he said he's one of the best actors today in the country. He also shared how convincing him for Maharaj was a tough task and that he declined the role at first. "He was unsure how he would play it," said the director while adding that they did a narration to explain their take on Maharaj.

"We were very grateful that sir agreed and came on board. He’s rightfully getting all the love he gets for every film,” he concluded.

Maharaj is based on the 1862 Maharaj Libel Case and tells the story of journalist and social reformer Karsandas Mulji, who fought for women's rights in India before independence. Junaid Khan plays the character of Karsandas in the film alongside Jaideep Ahlawat, Sharvari Wagh, and Shalini Pandey, among others.

Also read -Proud that India is shining on the global content map with Maharaj becoming a huge hit!’ : Siddharth P. Malhotra

Directed by Siddharth P. Malhotra and produced by YRF, the film was earlier scheduled to release on June 14. However, the release was delayed by a week following a hold on the movie by Gujarat High Court. It was finally released on Netflix on June 21.

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Credits - Pinkvilla