Ameesha Patel, the lead actress in the movie Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, could have had two major hits on the same day.She reveals that she was initially chosen for the female lead in another film called Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India.However, the role eventually went to Gracy Singh.
According to Ameesha, she was not just considered but actually selected for the role in Lagaan.
She had even rehearsed scenes with Aamir Khan, the film’s star, and costumes had been made for her by Bhanu Athaiya.Ameesha had allocated dates for the film, and everything seemed set.
However, while she was shooting for another movie in New Zealand, she received a call from her secretary informing her that the dates she had allotted for Lagaan had been given away to her other films, Badri (a Telugu movie) and Gadar.The reason given was that the director of Lagaan didn’t think Ameesha looked like a village girl.
They wanted someone with a dusky complexion, and they felt Ameesha looked too sophisticated and polished.Ameesha suggested using tanned make-up, but the idea was rejected.
Interestingly, the same attributes that caused her to be rejected for Lagaan worked in her favor for Gadar.The director of Gadar, Nitin Keni, believed that sophistication and education couldn’t be taught and that Ameesha naturally exuded those qualities.
Her character in Gadar, Sakeena, came from a wealthy background and had received a foreign education, much like Ameesha herself.
Although disappointed about losing the opportunity to work with Aamir Khan in Lagaan, Ameesha later had the chance to act alongside him in Mangal Pandey: The Rising.Ameesha played the role of a widow saved from the practice of sati by a British officer.She praised Aamir’s dedication and professionalism, and she was grateful for the opportunity to work with him.
