Imtiaz Ali: Jab We Met was the most Rejected film of my Life, Preity Zinta was the First Person to Compliment

Imtiaz Ali’s recent directorial Chamkila starring Diljit Dosanjh was loved and applauded by streaming viewers as the film premiered on Netflix. In a recent interview, Ali opened up on the original casting of his all time blockbuster film Jab We Met (2007). The director shared that the Jab We Met film script was the most rejected one in his life.

The film which starred Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan in lead roles was not the original choice for the film in fact it was Bobby Deol and Preity Zinta who were supposed to play Aditya and Geet.

The director shared a funny anecdote about Zinta from the time when he narrated the story of the film to her, he said, “I had also gone to Preity Zinta. Jab We Met was the most rejected film of my life. It was being rejected everywhere. It was when I narrated the film to Preity Zinta in her house, that she laughed. I thought she is laughing at me, mocking me! But she said it was really funny. So, I continued narrating.

“That was the first time somebody had complimented the film. So I owe it to her and whenever I meet her I give her a special hug and thank her that, ‘You were the first person, who told me this film is ok.’ So Bobby and Preity Zinta is the pairing I wanted but it didn’t happen.”

Jab We Met is a rom-com written and directed by Ali. Jab We Met marks Ali’s second directorial after Socha Na tha (2005) starring Abhay Deol and Ayesha Takia.