Shyam Benegal's unfulfilled dream of casting Hrithik Roshan as Buddha
The Indian film industry is mourning the loss of one of its most revered filmmakers, Shyam Benegal, who passed away on Monday. His death came shortly after his 90th birthday celebration attended by industry stalwarts like Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Divya Dutta, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajit Kapur, and Kunal Kapoor. Known for initiating a new wave in Bollywood, Benegal's views on mainstream actors like Shah Rukh Khan have resurfaced following his demise.
Benegal's admiration for SRK's acting skills
In a 2009 interview with PTI, Benegal praised SRK's acting prowess and screen presence. He had said, "Shah Rukh is a truly brilliant actor. When he comes on the screen, you hardly look anywhere else but at him - he is that kind of an actor." However, on being asked about casting Khan in his films, the filmmaker had said, "How can I cast him? I don't have a subject that might even interest him."
Benegal wanted to cast Roshan in a Gautam Buddha movie
Before his comments on Khan, Benegal wanted to cast Hrithik Roshan in a movie on Gautam Buddha. In a 2007 interview with Mumbai Mirror, he confirmed approaching Roshan for the role and said, "Hrithik is quite keen to do the film and has asked for the script." "We will take some time to get the script in place. But yes, I am keen on casting Hrithik. I feel he will suit the character of Buddha."
Benegal's ambitious Buddha project that never materialized
Benegal also revealed that the Gautam Buddha film would be a high-budget project, which he planned to produce himself along with a Sri Lankan production house. He believed Roshan's facial features were appropriate for the role of Buddha. Unfortunately, this ambitious project never came to fruition. His daughter Pia confirmed his death to SCREEN, adding that he had been battling chronic kidney disease for years.
