Neil Nitin Mukesh reveals Imran Khan starrer 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na' was first offered to him: 'Was asked to choose between this and Johnny Gaddaar'
Neil Nitin Mukesh
recently revealed that he was also offered
Imran Khan
starrer '
Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
', around the same time — and had to pick between the two contrasting scripts for his launch.
Choosing Between Romance and a Thriller
In conversation with Just Too Filmy, Neil revealed that he was offered
Johnny Gaddaar
and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na on the same day by producer Jhamu Sughand. While Jaane Tu... fit the popular trend of romantic college dramas, Neil was hesitant to embrace the 'chocolate boy' image that people often associated with him. Uncomfortable with the label, he leaned toward a more unconventional and intense role, which ultimately led him to choose Johnny Gaddaar for his debut.
No Grand Launch, Only Tough Choices
The actor also recalled that after meeting producer Jhamu Sughand at a party, he was invited to his office, where he was offered two films—but with a catch. He would have to audition for both and choose only one. At the time, Neil admitted feeling unsure, especially since actors like
Ranbir Kapoor
and Harman Baweja were set to debut in big-banner films like Saawariya and Love Story 2050. He questioned whether his debut would stand a chance against such high-profile launches. Despite the pressure, Neil auditioned for both roles, but ultimately went with his gut and chose Johnny Gaddaar.
'Jaane Tu… Was Always Imran's Film'
He further shared that Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na was always meant to be Imran Khan's film, and he felt privileged just to be considered for it. He clarified that he never rejected the film, but simply wasn't able to take it up due to circumstances. Had he been given the chance to work on both projects, he said he would have given his all to each—but ultimately, he couldn't be part of Jaane Tu.
A Star Kid Without a Starry Launch
In the same interview, Neil also revealed that despite coming from a celebrated musical lineage—being the son of
Nitin Mukesh
and grandson of legendary singer Mukesh—he was made aware early on that a grand Bollywood launch wasn't in store for him. At just 13, his father told him clearly that the family's financial priorities lay elsewhere and that he wouldn't be able to invest in launching Neil's film career. The conversation left a young Neil deeply unsettled, marking a turning point in his understanding of the challenges ahead.
Check out our list of the
latest Hindi
,
English
,
Tamil
,
Telugu
,
Malayalam
, and
Kannada movies
. And don't miss our picks for the
best Hindi movies
,
best Tamil movies,
and
best Telugu films
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Director Venky Atluri reveals he always shares his scripts with this actor: Find out who the star is
Picture Credit: X Venky Atluri is currently busy directing the highly anticipated, tentatively titled Suriya 46, starring Tamil superstar Suriya. In a recent media interaction, Atluri opened up about a rather interesting personal tradition he follows as a filmmaker. According to a report by 123Telugu, the 36-year-old director revealed that he has a unique habit of narrating his scripts first to Telugu actor Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, before approaching anyone else and even before locking his final cast or crew. Venky mentioned that despite their close creative exchange, he and Naga Chaitanya have not yet worked together. When asked why this promising collaboration hasn't materialized, Venky explained that scheduling conflicts and practical constraints have been the primary reasons for the delay. On the work front Venky Atluri had a successful last outing with Lucky Baskhar, starring Dulquer Salmaan and Meenakshi Chaudhary. He has also directed notable films like Tholi Prema and Sir, the latter featuring Dhanush in the lead. On the other hand, Naga Chaitanya was last seen in the romantic drama Thandel, co-starring Sai Pallavi. The film turned out to be his first to cross the Rs 100 crore mark. He is currently shooting for his upcoming film NC 24, directed by Virupaksha fame Karthik Varma Dandu. The supernatural thriller, which also stars Meenakshi Chaudhary as the female lead, is progressing at a brisk pace.
Indian Express
23 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Deepika Padukone advocated fixed working hours years before walking out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit: ‘I don't intend to burnout'
Deepika Padukone walking out of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's film Spirit due to a disagreement over working hours– particularly her request for an eight-hour workday — and other professional terms, has sparked a significant debate in the Hindi film industry regarding work-life balance, especially for new mothers like Deepika herself. While Deepika made headlines for taking a firm stand on work-life balance, this isn't the first time the actor has brought attention to the issue. She had raised the same concern even before becoming a mother. In an old interview, Deepika had spoken about the need to streamline working hours, not just for actors but for the entire film crew as well. In a past conversation with Film Companion, Deepika Padukone had revealed that it was during her struggle with depression that she understood the value of work-life balance and the impact it can have on a person's mental health. She said, 'That's also where I draw the line in terms of my schedule. That's the only place where I could start feeling that I'm not enjoying what I'm doing. The only other time I felt like that was when I was experiencing depression, but that's very different because you have no control over your thoughts and feelings. Many years ago, I realized the importance of finding a work-life balance. I don't intend to burnout, I'm not going anywhere.' Sharing how in India taking time for oneself is not always viewed as necessary, she said, 'Somehow, in our country, including the corporate world, taking leaves or wanting time for yourself carries a connotation of being unprofessional, not hardworking or driven enough. And I disagree. You can be all of those things and still make time for yourself. How are you going to replenish and put energy back into your work if you don't?' Also Read | Sonakshi Sinha backs Deepika Padukone for leaving Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Spirit: 'She did it for a fair reason'' id = '10083648' liveblog = 'no' ] During the same interaction, Deepika Padukone also advocated for setting fixed working hour limits for crew members. When asked what changes she wants to make as a producer, she said, 'Streamlining the hours that we work, especially for the crew. There is this sense that if you make people work extra and continuously, you get it done faster. My thinking is the exact opposite — people need to be given enough downtime and rest so that they come back with better energy. That'll help you work faster and better the quality of your work too.' The actor also spoke about the need to compensate crew members who work overtime. She said, 'Step 2 is to be compensated for overtime. Actors, at the end of the day, are going to walk away with the awards and the rewards, and so do the directors and everyone above board. The crew, on the other hand, comes in much earlier and leaves much later. Overtime may happen but we need to find a mechanism where they're at least compensated for that on an hourly basis.' After Deepika Padukone walked out of Spirit, Triptii Dimri was cast in the film in the lead role, along with Prabhas.
India.com
41 minutes ago
- India.com
This actor vomited on Raveena Tandon's hand, recalls her most bizarre on-set experience, her name is...
Raveena Tandon, now 52 and still active in Hindi cinema, made her debut in 1991 opposite Salman Khan in Patthar Ke Phool. While her daughter Rasha Thadani just stepped into Bollywood with Azad (2024), Raveena continues to dominate key roles in films. But long before stardom, she had one very messy introduction to showbiz. Who puked on Raveena's Hand? In an old episode of Farooque Shaikh's TV show Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, Raveena appeared with ad guru Prahlad Kakkar. Dressed in a sharp green suit, the actress—who was then in 10th grade—spoke about one shocking incident during an ad shoot. The campaign featured a young model, none other than Aftab Shivdasani, who at the time was just 10 years old. He was playing a chocolate-obsessed kid, and after multiple retakes and consuming a heap of chocolate, the inevitable happened. Here's what happened on the white set? Raveena recalled that Prahlad Kakkar had warned everyone that not a drop of anything should fall on the pristine white set. Moments later, a visibly nauseated Aftab was on the brink of throwing up. In panic, Raveena instinctively held out her hands, catching all of it. 'Meri haath mein poori ulti aa gayi,' she revealed, saying the smell nearly made her vomit too. Watch the video here View this post on Instagram A post shared by MÍX MÁNÌA (@mixmania2023) Last seen in In Galiyon Mein (2025), Raveena is now focused on guiding daughter Rasha's budding film journey. Yet, moments like these remind us of the bizarre beginnings even seasoned stars have faced.
