Table of Contents
Introduction
Hum Saath Saath Hain was supposed to be a reunion of Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit after Hum Aapke Hain Koun
In an earlier interview, Madhuri rejected the film because of Salman Khan.
Madhuri rejected Hum Saath Saath Hain
Sooraj followed it up with the multistarrer Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999) starring Salman Khan, Tabu, Karishma Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, and Mohnish Bahl.
After the success of Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Sooraj became one of the most sought-after directors of Indian cinema a lesser-known fact is that he had approached Madhuri for a role in Hum Saath Saath Hain but she refused and the reason was Salman Khan.
It isn’t that Madhuri had any issues with Salman. Still, on the contrary, she wasn’t keen on taking up Sonali Bendre (Salman’s love interest) or Karisma Kapoor’s (Salman’s younger sister-in-law, Saif Ali Khan’s love interest) roles as they weren’t as substantial and avoided taking up Tabu’s role who played Salman Khan’s elder sister-in-law and Mohnish Bahl’s wife.
In a 2000 interview with Rediff
Madhuri revealed the reason behind not reuniting with Sooraj Barjatya for the 1999 blockbuster Hum Saath Saath Hain.
When asked about the reported offer and her subsequent refusal, Madhuri said, “I was not offered the film. There has been this rumour doing the rounds that I refused to film. I cannot refuse any film with Soorajji. We all sat and we kind of started thinking about the film. Soorajji also was in a dilemma because he wanted me in the film. But he said, ‘Which role do I put you in?’”
She continued, “I cannot play Karisma’s role. I could not play Sonali Bendre’s role, especially after Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!. Had I not done HAHK, I would have played one of the three characters in the film and I would have fitted perfectly. But, because of HAHK, the next film I do with Soorajji has to be a step ahead. I cannot go one step back and do a role where anyone can fit in.”