Niki Walia reveals how she was almost cast as Neelam Mehra in Zoya Akhtar’s Dil Dhadakne Do before Shefali Shah took over the iconic role at the last minute.
In the entertainment industry, casting choices can change at the very last second, leaving actors with stories of missed opportunities. Veteran actress Niki Walia recently spoke about losing a major role in director Zoya Akhtar’s popular 2015 movie, Dil Dhadakne Do.
The important role of Neelam Mehra, the wife of Anil Kapoor’s character, eventually went to Shefali Shah, who received widespread praise for her performance. However, not many people knew that Niki was originally chosen for the part before plans suddenly changed.
In an interview with Buzzzooka Prime, Niki shared just how close she came to joining the cast on their famous cruise ship shoot. Zoya Akhtar had even flown her to India from the UK for script readings and meetings. Things had gone way past simple auditions.
The actress revealed the film crew had already taken her passport details, locked in her shooting dates, and scheduled everything. She was even getting her family ready for her being away on a cruise for three months. But just a day before she was set to fly back home, Zoya called her to explain that because of an internal decision, they had to go with someone else.
Even though it was disappointing, Niki said she feels no anger or bitterness toward the director or the team. Looking back, she believed it was simply a creative decision.
According to her, she felt that her own personality might have come across as too strong for the character. The role needed a soft, hidden vulnerability, which is a style Shefali Shah naturally plays very well. Niki gracefully accepted that the filmmakers chose what was best for the story.
Dil Dhadakne Do revolves around the dysfunctional Mehra family who, while celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary on a Mediterranean cruise, confront hidden tensions, broken relationships, and personal desires. The film features Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, and Farhan Akhtar, with Aamir Khan as the voice of their dog Pluto.
