Director Rahul Dholakia has shared the background of Mahira Khan’s casting in the 2017 Bollywood film Raees, where she starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan.
In a recent interview, Dholakia revealed that Gauri Khan’s mother was the one who recommended Mahira for the role of Aasiya, after several leading Bollywood actresses were considered but ultimately not selected.
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During a conversation with casting director Mukesh Chhabra for Mashable India, Dholakia explained that they needed an actress in her 30s who could fluently speak Hindi with an Urdu accent to suit the 1980s setting.
He emphasized that the character required someone who could portray innocence, and since Shah Rukh Khan was around 50 at the time, it was essential for his co-star to be in her 30s to make the pairing believable.
Several well-known Bollywood actresses, including Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, and Anushka Sharma, were considered for the role, but they either declined due to its smaller size or were too costly for the film’s budget. “We had a few top names in mind, but none seemed to be the perfect fit,” Dholakia stated. “Ultimately, we realized it just wasn’t working with them. Shah Rukh Khan cannot romance an Alia Bhatt!”
The director then explained how the solution came from an unexpected source. “Both Gauri Khan’s mother and my mother had watched Mahira Khan in a Pakistani TV drama and remarked, ‘Yeh ladki achi hai (This girl is really good),’” Dholakia shared.
He quickly contacted casting director Honey Trehan, who informed him that Mahira was already in Mumbai for promotional work. Trehan arranged an audition, and after watching Mahira perform, Dholakia knew he had found his Aasiya. “After the audition, I declared, ‘I have found my Aasiya,’” he recalled.
Mahira Khan, who had already gained fame in Pakistan with successful projects like Humsafar, was initially unaware of the project’s scale.
During her speech at the Faiz International Festival in 2016, Mahira Khan recounted receiving a call while visiting Mumbai. “I got a message saying ‘big film, pick up,’” she recalled. Although she initially didn’t understand the specifics, she became intrigued upon learning it was a project with Excel Entertainment, known for films like Dil Chahta Hai.
Mahira revealed that she was later informed that the role was opposite Shah Rukh Khan, although that information was kept confidential until after her audition. “I was just thrilled to be part of an Excel film, but when I found out I would be playing the lead alongside Shah Rukh Khan, I was over the moon,” she shared.
