Sriram Raghavan reveals he almost made Shah Rukh Khan starrer Baazigar before Abbas-Mustan: ‘I had no idea it was already being shot'
Sriram Raghavan
, known for movies like Johnny Gaddaar, Ek Hasina Thi, Badlapur, and Andhadhun, has earned a strong reputation for his work. However, there are some films he didn't end up making that fans still wonder how he would have handled — one of them is
Abbas-Mustan
's
Baazigar
, the movie that turned
Shah Rukh Khan
into a superstar.
In a recent chat with Pinkvilla, Sriram shared that during his early struggling days, he had unknowingly started working on adapting the same story that later became Baazigar.
The Surprising Revelation
After reading the novel, the filmmaker instantly felt that he had discovered an incredible story that he had to bring to the big screen. Without thinking about acquiring the rights, he passionately started working on his own adaptation. However, when he narrated his idea to veteran actor
Tinnu Anand
, he was in for a surprise. Tinnu informed him that the story he was excited about was already being made into a film — and that he himself was acting in it. That film turned out to be Baazigar, which was being adapted by Abbas-Mustan and Venus Films from the novel A Kiss Before Dying.
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Undo
Watching Baazigar and Reflecting on What Could Have Been
Raghavan recalled watching Baazigar at Mumbai's Anupam theatre and seeing how the audience reacted with excitement, while he sat quietly, reflecting on what could have been. He shared that if he had made the film, his version would have stayed much closer to the original novel — focusing on a psychopath who kills three women in his quest to become a millionaire, without involving any revenge storyline. Sriram also mentioned that he eventually met Shah Rukh Khan and the directors Abbas-Mustan, and shared with them how he had once planned to adapt the same story.
A Missed Opportunity with
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Later, he pitched his version of the story to filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, hoping he would produce it. However, Chopra felt the story was lacking commercial elements like songs and suggested making it more "masaledar" or spicy to appeal to a wider audience. Sriram, however, disagreed with changing the tone of the story.
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First Post
14 hours ago
- First Post
Deepak Tijori: 'I narrated Baazigar to Abbas-Mustan but they made it with Shah Rukh Khan, I asked them...'
Deepak said that the directors apologised to him, saying 'please forgive us, we made a mistake.' read more Abbas-Mustan's 1993 blockbuster Baazigar made Shah Rukh Khan an overnight star, but it was Deepak Tijori who was earlier supposed to do it. He made some revelations in an interview with India Today. The actor said, 'I'm a living example of that. Abbas-Mustan were the ones who were supposed to direct it. I had actually narrated the film to them, but they deferred and went to Shah Rukh. Shah (SRK) and I were friends. There was a VHS cassette of A Kiss Before Dying at his place. I asked him about it, and he said, 'Your director came to me, left this tape, and told me not to say yes until you say no.' So he waited on me.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Deepak said that the directors apologised to him, saying 'please forgive us, we made a mistake. We'll compensate you someday', but Deepak told them that it was 'forgotten'. Shilpa Shetty has crafted an illustrious career in Bollywood, and she has delivered several iconic films throughout her journey. Among many, one of her classic films is 'Baazigar'. In recent times, the film's climax scene - featuring Shah Rukh Khan pushing Shilpa Shetty from a building - has received a lot of attention among the youth on social media. Recently, the actress graced a renowned film festival, and spilled the deets about shooting the climax of 'Baazigar'. 'I had no knowledge about films at that time, and I didn't know how to approach it. I was like a student on set. I used to be very nervous back then. Because I came from a South Indian background, I never spoke in Hindi on the sets. When I did 'Aag', I asked Kader Bhai to teach me Urdu, and that's when I learned from scratch. I used to feel very nervous about dialogue deliveries. But all of it is okay because I am able to convey. People understand what I am trying to say,' she shared.
News18
16 hours ago
- News18
Baazigar's Original Ending Had Kajol Killing Shah Rukh Khan
Abbas-Mustan share how Baazigar almost had a different ending, and why Shah Rukh Khan's character needed emotional depth. Before Shah Rukh Khan became the poster boy for romance, he shook up the '90s with a role few saw coming — a cold, calculating killer in Baazigar. Directors Abbas-Mustan recently reflected on how the thriller nearly turned out very differently. Speaking about the film's early development, the duo recalled how new the idea felt at the time. Mustan said, as quoted in SCREEN, 'It was a new concept at that time. We thought of Shah Rukh's character as a hero; he was negative, but he was our hero, and also, you have to understand why he did what he did in the film. For instance, if some character is doing something negative, but in the background he has some good qualities or there is a reason for him to turn negative, then if his character turns negative, that is also okay." But the original script was far more brutal. Mustan revealed that the early version of the film ended with the lead actress killing Shah Rukh's character. 'In the first draft of the film, the hero was an out-and-out negative character who saw a tough childhood as his father would be a drunk, and he would beat his mother, and the kid would grow up wishing that he would become rich one day. After growing up, the character decides to get into a relationship with both daughters of a millionaire and eventually kill one of the daughters to take over the millionaire's empire. Later, the second girl gets to know about the character's intention and kills him. This was the first draft of the film." That ending was eventually scrapped. The filmmakers felt the story needed more than just revenge and shock value — it needed heart. 'We realised that the film would not work without emotions, and the biggest emotion is the mother and father's." So they rewrote the film, giving Shah Rukh's character a tragic backstory involving a murdered father, a wronged mother and a sister he loved dearly. Abbas-Mustan took time from the producers to reshape the story. 'Screenplay was the most important aspect of Baazigar," Mustan said. The result was a film that not only redefined what a Bollywood hero could be but also became a box office hit. Baazigar told the story of Ajay Sharma, a man driven by vengeance, who cons his way into the lives of a businessman's daughters, murders one, and falls in love with the other before dying in the end. Even today, it stands as one of Shah Rukh Khan's most daring roles — one where he was the villain, but also the hero. First Published: July 21, 2025, 08:22 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Did you know Baazigar's original ending had Kajol kill Shah Rukh Khan? Abbas-Mustan calls SRK's character 'out-and-out negative'
Baazigar, a thriller, marked a turning point for Shah Rukh Khan. Directors Abbas-Mustan revealed the original script's darker elements. The initial plot involved a more negative character and a different ending. Kajol's character was to deliver justice by killing Shah Rukh Khan's character. The directors later shifted the focus to emotional depth. Baazigar was a turning point in Shah Rukh Khan 's career and in Bollywood storytelling. The 1993 thriller dared to cast SRK as a morally complex anti-hero at a time when clean-cut heroes dominated the silver screen. Now, decades later, the film's directors Abbas-Mustan, in an interview with Lucky Bisht, have revealed that the original script was even bolder—with a darker plot and a completely different ending that had Kajol's character delivering justice by killing SRK's. A Risky Move for Its Time Abbas-Mustan admitted that Baazigar's concept was quite unconventional for its time. While many saw Shah Rukh Khan's character as a villain, the directors always viewed him as the film's hero. Mustan explained that although the character had a dark side, his actions were driven by a deeper motive. According to them, when a negative character is given emotional depth or a justifiable reason for their behavior, the audience is more likely to empathize with them — which is exactly what they aimed for with SRK's role. The Original Ending Mustan also revealed that the original draft of Baazigar was significantly darker than the final version. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Many Are Watching Tariffs - Few Are Watching What Nvidia Just Launched Seeking Alpha Read More Undo In that version, Shah Rukh Khan's character was portrayed as entirely negative—shaped by a traumatic childhood involving an abusive, alcoholic father. Driven by a desire to become rich, he manipulates his way into relationships with both daughters of a wealthy businessman, ultimately killing one of them to gain control over the family's fortune. The twist in that early draft? The second daughter discovers his true intentions and ends up killing him, bringing the story full circle with her act of justice. From Thriller to Emotional Drama Mustan further shared that while the original draft leaned heavily into a dark, thriller tone, they later drew inspiration from iconic filmmakers like Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra, who emphasized emotional storytelling. Realizing that the film needed a deeper emotional core to resonate with audiences, they reworked the script to give Shah Rukh Khan's character a strong backstory. This included his bond with his mother, the trauma of his father's death, and the loss of his younger sister. Mustan revealed they approached the producer to explain the shift in the storyline and asked for additional time to craft a more emotionally engaging screenplay. In his words, it was the emotional depth—and not just the suspense—that became Baazigar's most crucial element. Baazigar follows Shah Rukh's character as he seeks revenge against businessman Madan Chopra for ruining his family. Posing under a false identity, he dates Chopra's daughters, kills one, and later falls for the other. The film ends with Ajay's death in a violent confrontation.
