Ace choreographer Farah Khan recently opened up about dropping Shilpa Shirodkar from the iconic Dil Se song “Chhaiya Chhaiya” due to concerns about her weight.
Farah Khan reveals she rejected Shilpa Shirodkar for Chhaiya Chhaiya due to weight concerns.
Ace choreographer Farah Khan has often been candid about her casting decisions, and one such revelation recently resurfaced regarding the iconic Dil Se song “Chhaiya Chhaiya.” In a conversation with Karanveer Mehra on her YouTube channel, Farah admitted that she had initially considered Shilpa Shirodkar for the track but ultimately decided against it due to concerns about her weight.
Farah, who was in charge of choreographing the legendary dance number, explained that when she met Shilpa Shirodkar for the role, she felt that the actress wasn’t the right fit. “I came to Shilpa to ask her for ‘Chhaiya Chhaiya.’ But something must have happened to her because at that time, she was at least 100 kgs. So I thought, ‘How will she get on the train? And if she gets on, where will Shah Rukh stand?’”
The song, which required the lead performer to dance atop a moving train alongside Shah Rukh Khan, was later offered to Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shetty, both of whom declined for personal reasons. Eventually, Malaika Arora was selected, and her performance in the song became one of the most celebrated moments in Bollywood history.
In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Shilpa confirmed that she had been approached for the song but was ultimately rejected because she was deemed “too fat.” “I didn’t get it because I was fat. They just said that I am fat,” she recalled, adding that while she was disappointed, she chose to focus on the bigger picture. “I will always feel bad that I didn’t get ‘Chhaiya Chhaiya,’ but God gave me much more, and He is still giving me.”
When asked what Farah Khan had told her at the time, Shilpa said, “She just said that we will work some other time because they are looking for someone else. ‘You are a little fatter.’ Something like this… I don’t even remember anymore. I know I missed it because I was fat.”
Despite missing out on the song, Shilpa Shirodkar continued to have a successful career in Bollywood, featuring in films like Hum, Gopi Kishan, and Aankhein. More recently, she reintroduced herself to a new generation of fans with her stint in Bigg Boss 18. Inside the house, she displayed grit, resilience, and a strong personality, earning admiration from both contestants and viewers. Though she didn’t take home the trophy, her journey on the show further cemented her status as a respected and inspiring figure in the entertainment industry.
