Why Bakhtiyaar Irani was replaced in 'Ae Watan Mere Watan'
What's the story
Hindi film and television actor Bakhtiyaar Irani recently disclosed that he was initially cast in the historical biopic Ae Watan Mere Watan, produced by Karan Johar's Dharmatic Entertainment. However, he was replaced at the last minute. Irani shared this information during an interview on Inside The Mind With Rushabh, stating that he had informed his close friends and family about his new project just before signing the contract. However, the role was passed on to someone else.
Preparation
Irani lost weight for his role in the historical biopic
Irani was asked to lose weight for his role in Ae Watan Mere Watan, as the film is set in the 1940s when people were not as well-built. He stated, "The director calls me, it's (a Karan Johar production). I didn't know, I thought I was meeting Kanan (Iyer) the director." After losing 8kg in one and a half months, he was told that he would be signing the contract next week.
Role reassignment
Irani's role reassigned despite physical transformation
However, despite his preparation, Irani was replaced at the last minute. He was initially set to play a character who assists Emraan Hashmi and Sara Ali Khan's characters by creating a radio. When asked about his role in Ae Watan Mere Watan, Irani said, "The Parsi guy..." On why he didn't get the role, he simply stated, "Nazar lagi hogi yaar. Naseeb mein nahi hoga (It must've been my bad luck)."
Role replacement
Anand Tiwari took over Irani's role in film
The role initially intended for Irani was eventually played by Anand Tiwari, who portrayed Firdaus Engineer in Ae Watan Mere Watan. Tiwari is also the director of the upcoming Dharma film Bad Newz, starring Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri, and Ammy Virk. This last-minute casting change came as a surprise to Irani, who had already informed around 30 people about his involvement in the project. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.