Shah Rukh Khan had earlier turned down THIS version of Farah Khan’s ‘Happy New Year’; the filmmaker draws parallels to upcoming movie ‘Dunki’

After delivering successful hits like “Pathaan” and “Jawan,” Shah Rukh Khan is eagerly anticipating his next venture, “Dunki,” directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani. The initial teaser of the film offers viewers a glimpse into its storyline, which revolves around individuals aspiring to relocate to the United States. Interestingly, Farah Khan has recently disclosed that she presented a script with a similar theme to Shah Rukh Khan some years ago.However, the megastar turned down the project, expressing reservations about playing the role due to feeling “too old” for the character. Now, as “Dunki” takes center stage, audiences are eager to witness how the narrative unfolds under the direction ofRajkumar Hirani, with Shah Rukh Khan embracing a role that he once hesitated to take on.

During a conversation with Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa, Farah Khan expressed her surprise and recounted an interesting connection between her past script and the upcoming film “Dunki.” She revealed that she had written a version of “Happy New Year” that Shah Rukh Khan did not approve of. Strikingly, she noted that the storyline of her version resembled the plot of “Dunki.” In her earlier script, “Happy New Year,” four young men aimed to migrate to the United States, adopting the unconventional route of participating in a dance competition in Las Vegas to achieve their dream of being ‘tadipaar’ (illegal immigrants). The revelation adds a unique twist to the narrative, highlighting a parallel between Farah Khan’s past creative vision and the storyline of Shah Rukh Khan’s current project, “Dunki.”

Farah Khan revealed that Shah Rukh Khan had rejected her version of “Happy New Year” because he felt he would appear too old for the role of a young boy aspiring to go to America. She recalled his words, “I will look too old, I’m too old to play this young boy.” Interestingly, this rejection seems to draw parallels with the plot of “Dunki,” suggesting that the themes align closely.

Adding to the intrigue, there have been online speculations that “Dunki” might share similarities with “Munna Bhai Chale America,” which was intended to be the third installment of the popular Munna Bhai franchise featuring Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi. However, the project never materialized. This speculation adds an extra layer of anticipation for “Dunki,” as audiences wonder how the film will navigate its unique storyline in the context of these intriguing connections.

In the end, “Happy New Year” took a different creative direction and evolved into a heist movie. The film featured a star-studded cast including Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani, and Vivaan Shah, among others. Departing from its initial concept of four boys aspiring to go to America through a dance competition, the movie transformed into an engaging heist storyline. The plot followed the characters as they planned and executed a heist during a major dance competition. The incorporation of elements such as heist, comedy, and drama added layers to the film, creating an entertaining and multi-faceted cinematic experience.