Not Dhanush, But Ranbir Kapoor Was The First Choice For Sonam Kapoor Starrer Raanjhanaa?

Raanjhanaa Cast: The 2018 romantic drama was a commercial hit upon release and has also attained the status of a cult classic over the years. Directed by Aanand L. Rai, the film also featured Abhay Deol, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub and Swara Bhaskar in pivotal roles. Although in a new interview, the filmmaker admitted that Dhanush was not his first choice for the protagonist's role.  

DYK Raanjhana was first offered to Ranbir Kapoor

Raanjhana marked the Bollywood debut of popular Tamil actor Dhanush. In the film, he plays a small-town middle-class boy hailing from Varanasi. His portrayal in the film was widely appreciated by the audiences. However, in a new interview, the director Aanand L Rai addressed rumours of him not being the first choice for the role.

In a conversation with Bollywood Hungama the filmmaker spoke about making Raanjhana and shared, “As a director who had just tasted success with Tanu Weds Manu, if I had more faith in myself, I would have made Tanu Weds Manu 2. But I and Himanshu (Sharma) felt that a story like Raanjhanaa needed to be told. We figured out that what has worked for us is our story, being true to our story and casting.”

He also mentioned that he had first approached Ranbir Kapoor for the role. H recalled, "An actor who keeps himself simple and lets himself blend into the crowd, which is a difficult thing, I believe, is Ranbir Kapoor, but he was not available at that time and as we were searching for such an actor, we found Dhanush." Interestingly, Sonam Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor made their debuts together in the film Saawariya. 

When Aanand L Rai opened up on romanticising stalking allegations in the film Raanjhanaa

Addressing controversies surrounding Raanjhanaa, particularly accusations of promoting stalking, Aanand L Rai confronted the criticism. He explained to Mashable India, that the character's actions were rooted in his cultural background, hailing from Varanasi, and lacked awareness about the implications of stalking. While acknowledging the inherent wrongness, Rai clarified that he aimed to highlight the character's perspective rather than justify the behaviour.

Despite the initial challenges, Aanand L Rai and Dhanush have continued their collaboration, with projects like Atrangi Re and an upcoming joint venture, Tere Ishk Mein. The Tanu Weds Manu director emphasised Dhanush's undeniable appeal and on-screen prowess that transcended stereotypes, solidifying his place in the Hindi film industry.