From SRK to Saif to John

Are you aware Shah Rukh Khan was the first choice for the principal role in Anurag Kashyap's No Smoking?

“He was keen to do the film. He even said he’d do it for his kids. But, for some reason, he couldn’t accommodate my film,” Anurag states.

Anurag remembers those days. “I was a dejected man. 'Paanch' was showing no signs of releasing and 'Black Friday' was held up. I was desperate to start a film. One night, I text-messaged all the top actors, telling them about the script of 'No Smoking'. The only person who responded to my message was John Abraham. He heard the script the very next morning and said ‘Yes’ instantly. He even said he’d get a producer to back this script,” the talented director reminisces.

Anurag continues, “In the meanwhile, Vishal Bhardwaj called to enquire if I’d be interested in starting a film for his banner. I narrated 'No Smoking' to him and he suggested Saif Ali Khan’s name. But I told him that I’d already committed to John. That’s how the ball started rolling.”

Amit Roy, IndiaTarget