Madhuri Dixit Rejected This Classic, And It Made Manisha Koirala An Overnight Star

There have been many patriotic films that depict the freedom struggle in India during British rule. If we were to make a list of such films, one cannot leave behind the 1994 classic !942: A Love Story, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film, which starred Anil Kapoor, Manisha Koirala and Jackie Shroff was an instant hit and its strong patriotic themes resonated with the youth. !942: A Love Story also remains a landmark in some ways. Apart from being the last film that music composer RD Burman composed for, the film was also the first Bollywood movie to utilise Dolby SR sound.

The leading pair of Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala won hearts with their sizzling chemistry but none of them were the only choices for the film. Manisha Koirala, who was still a newcomer back then and had yet to make a mark, auditioned for the role but was rejected. Vidhu Vinod Chopra then decided to cast Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit as he believed the duo would be able to recreate the magic of their film Dil, released just two years ago. However, both Aamir and Madhuri could not allot dates to Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s film. After Madhuri’s decline, the director remembered Manisha’s performance in the audition and decided to give her a chance. Anil Kapoor was roped in for the role initially envisioned for Aamir Khan.