Irrfan Khan was considered to play ‘Maharaj’, Jaideep Ahlawat initially declined the role, reveals Siddharth P Malhotra

Irrfan Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat

The press conference for the film ‘Maharaj' was held recently at Mumbai's YRF studios, featuring its lead cast - Junaid Khan, Sharvari, Shalini Pandey, and Jaideep Ahlawat - alongside director Siddharth P Malhotra. In his opening remarks, Siddharth made noteworthy comments about casting Jaideep Ahlawat as the antagonist, revealing that the late actor Irrfan Khan was initially considered for the role.

Siddharth P Malhotra stated, "The only person we could think of for the role of ‘Maharaj' was Irrfan. God bless his soul. In our opinion, nobody could play this role but Irrfan Khan. It's a lot of pressure for Jaideep sir. Yet, I keep telling him again and again that there's only one actor in this universe who could match Irrfan's level of performance. And that is Jaideep Ahlawat. He can do anything (smiles)."

Siddharth continued to praise Jaideep Ahlawat, describing him as "one of the best actors we have today in the country, undoubtedly." He revealed that convincing Ahlawat to take on the role of Maharaj was challenging, as the actor initially declined. "He was unsure how he would play it. We had to do a narration with him to explain to him what our take on Maharaj was. We were very grateful that sir agreed and came on board. He's rightfully getting all the love that he gets for every film," asserted Siddharth.

Jaideep Ahlawat recently shared how he transformed his physique for his role as ‘Maharaj'. At the press conference, Siddharth disclosed that Jaideep's entry scene was the last to be filmed. By then, the actor had moved on to another project. When asked to return for the scene, Jaideep requested three months to get back in shape. The audience applauded on learning about Jaideep's dedication, despite makers suggesting the use of VFX to showcase his ripped body.

'Maharaj' delves into the 1862 Maharaj Libel Case. Based on true incidents that took place in 1862, pre-independence India, Maharaj follows the journey of one of India's greatest social reformers, Karsandas Mulji. This David vs. Goliath story showcases one man's courage to stand against the injustices of his time.

(With inputs from ANI)