Ameesha Patel regrets rejecting Salman Khan's Tere Naam, reveals how she replaced Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Actor Ameesha Patel has revisited key moments from her early career, including turning down Tere Naam and later stepping into a role in Mangal Pandey: The Rising after Aishwarya Rai Bachchan exited the project. In a recent interaction Bollywood Bubble, she spoke candidly about decisions that, in hindsight, shaped her journey in the industry.

Regret over Tere Naam decision

Looking back at Tere Naam, Patel admitted that she still regrets not taking up the film opposite Salman Khan. She said, “Kaash main mana nahi karti. Lekin uss waqt jab Salman offer ki thi sirf gaane ban chuki thi aur ye film ka idea aur kahaani thi. Unhone mujhe narrate kiya, gaane bhi sunaaye. Tab na dates tay thi aur direct kaun karega ye bhi tay nahi tha. It was all up in the air.”

She explained that when the narration happened, the project was still in a developing stage, with no confirmed schedule or director attached. Patel added that by the time Satish Kaushik came on board and the film moved forward, she had already committed to other projects.

“Kuch set nahi tha and as an actor I could not take away time that I had given to numerous people. Agar Salman had come to me with a set date and a set director and said that we are ready to roll, then of course main Tere Naam jaisi film mana nahi karti,” she said. Reflecting on the outcome, she noted, “Of course, it was such a beautiful film and mujhe kahani bohot pasand aayi thi. Mujhe gaane bohot pasand aaye thhe. So yeah, it is definitely my loss.”

How she replaced Aishwarya Rai

Patel also spoke about being cast in Mangal Pandey: The Rising after Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stepped away. She credited her interaction with Aamir Khan for playing a role in that opportunity.

“Aamir actually saw an interview of mine with BBC and found me very intelligent. And we had done an interview together in Delhi. While they were taking time to set up the camera and start the interview, Aamir and I started playing noughts and crosses and we got along very famously, discussing books and all,” she said.

She added that their association went back to the time she had auditioned for Lagaan and was initially selected. However, the plan changed during production.

“Even before this, Aamir and I had met several times because I had screen tested for Lagaan and was selected, and I had also allotted dates for the film. And when I was shooting for Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai in New Zealand, my manager called me and said that I am being released from Lagaan because Ashutosh ji felt that for a village girl role, my eyes looked too educated, and I am also extremely fair skinned,” she said.

Casting changes and industry realities

Patel noted that her personality did not align with what Ashutosh Gowariker had envisioned for the character in Lagaan. She later went on to feature in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, where she played a more educated and restrained character.

She also referred to the circumstances around Rai Bachchan’s exit from Mangal Pandey, which had drawn public attention at the time. In an earlier interview, Aishwarya had said, “What’s interesting is that you remember the words, like ‘replaced’, which you etched. The fact is, the situation was very different.”

Reports at the time suggested there were disagreements regarding contract terms, though the actor maintained that the situation involved broader professional concerns. Patel eventually took on the role of Jwala in the film, adding another chapter to her career shaped by shifting casting decisions.

Looking back, Patel acknowledged that timing and uncertainty often define casting choices in the industry, and several decisions only reveal their impact much later.