Kareena Kapoor’s 'Chameli' had a rocky road with director’s death mid-shoot; Learn trivia

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Rahul Bose starrer Chameli released back in 2003. The film received rave reviews from critics as well as fans. Kareena Kapoor was lauded for her unconventional choice and role in the film. The 2003 release left the audiences spell-bound after its release. Read on some interesting trivia about the film.

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Kareena Kapoor Khan’s smoking scenes

According to reports, Kareena Kapoor Khan was required to smoke for several scenes in Chameli. As she practised smoking, she reportedly got habitual to the act. She continued smoking even after the film’s production ended. However, IMDb reports suggest that she quit after smoking briefly, but had to relearn for her part in 'Heroine'.  

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Director’s mid-shoot death

The film was originally directed by Anant Balani. However, the director suffered a fatal cardiac arrest. The film’s production was underway. Later, Sudhir Mishra was roped-in to complete the film.

Hidden messages in the backgrounds of several scenes

When Chameli essayed by Kareena Kapoor meets Aman essayed by Rahul Bose for the first time, there are hidden messages on the wall behind them. One message read, “Hame AIDS se Bachao”, which translates to, “Save us from AIDS.” The act was an awareness initiative by the filmmakers.

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Other actors considered for the role of Rahul Bose

Rahul Bose was not the first choice for the film. Aftab Shivdasani and Rahul Khanna were approached for the role of Aman. However, the two declined the project for unknown reasons. However, Aman turned out to be one of the best characters that Rahul Bose has essayed as per fans.

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Antara Mali was signed instead of Kareena Kapoor Khan

Reports suggest that Antara Mali was the first preference for the film Chameli. However, she dropped the decision of doing the film for unknown reasons. Kareena Kapoor Khan was roped in for the role as a second preference, however, it was a career-making film for the actress as per reports. Antara Mali was a popular choice back in the early 2000s as she already had hits like Road and Ajay Devgn starrer Company.