‘Om Shanti Om, directed by director Farah Khan, achieved remarkable success, with its star-studded song ‘Deewangi’ becoming an iconic highlight of the film. This unforgettable musical sequence featured 31 prominent movie stars making special appearances, creating an unforgettable cinematic moment. Farah Khan recently shared insights into her efforts to include Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan in the song, albeit unsuccessfully.
In a candid conversation on Maniesh Paul’s podcast, Farah Khan shed light on why Aamir Khan decided not to participate in the song. She said, “We reached out to different stars, but some were not able to make it. Amit ji had prior commitments, and Abhishek and Aishwarya were tying the knot that week. Aamir’s reason was rather amusing; he initially kept me in suspense, eventually citing that he needed to focus on editing ‘Taare Zameen Par.’ I even offered to wrap up his part in just two hours.”
Farah went on to recount, “Subsequently, he contacted me and offered his rationale, saying, ‘Farah, if I step away from editing for just two hours to join the shoot, it would set back my film’s release by six months.’ Eventually, I assured him that it wasn’t a concern. Later, when I inquired further about his choice, he candidly stated, ‘I simply didn’t wish to attend.”
Farah had previously shared her intention to have Shah Rukh Khan arrange for Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu to participate in the song. She revealed, “The entire industry came together for the title song, and it led to some impromptu moments like Salman Khan and Saif Ali Khan’s desire to witness Dharmendraji’s dance moves.”
The star-studded lineup for ‘Deewangi’ included Priyanka Chopra, Rekha, Tabu, Karisma Kapoor, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Mithun Chakraborty, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Juhi Chawla, among other notable names. “Om Shanti Om” also marked the Bollywood debut of Deepika Padukone.