Ameesha Patel: Lagaan near-miss led to Mangal Pandey role

Ameesha Patel recently detailed her casting for 'Mangal Pandey: The Rising,' highlighting Aamir Khan's influence and a chance encounter during 'Lagaan's' filming. Khan reportedly found Patel intelligent after watching an interview and bonded with her during a camera setup delay. Patel revealed she had previously screen-tested for and been selected for 'Lagaan,' even allotting dates.

However, her casting in 'Lagaan' was reversed during filming for 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai' in New Zealand. Director Ashutosh Gowariker felt her appearance, described as having "educated eyes" and fair skin, was unsuitable for the character. This led to her being replaced, a turn of events that ironically propelled her to stardom in 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha,' where her polished image was an asset.

Patel noted the peculiar situation of nearly appearing in both 'Lagaan' and 'Gadar,' which were box office rivals. It's also revealed that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was the initial choice for the role of Jwala in 'Mangal Pandey: The Rising.' Rai Bachchan's departure from the project was attributed to a disagreement with the producer, although conflicting reports later emerged about fee renegotiations.