Can you imagine Baazigar without Kajol? Well, music composer duo Nadeem-Shravan wanted the actor out of Abbas-Mustan's 1993 blockbuster romantic thriller. In an interview with Radio Nasha, the director duo recalled how Nadeem-Shravan walked out because they didn't drop Kajol from the film.

What Abbas-Mustan said

Abbas-Mustan first offered Nadeem-Shravan to compose music for Baazigar. This was a couple of years after their breakout hit, Mahesh Bhatt's 1990 romantic musical Aashiqui. However, Abbas-Mustan had a condition in store for the director duo. 

“Nadeem-Shravan has some personal issue with Kajol and Tanuja ji (Kajol's mother). They asked us if we can change the female lead. We refused because we had already committed to her. We had finalised Kajol and she had also signed the contract. We refused to make any changes. Picture banege toh Kajol toh rahege he (If the film will be made, Kajol will star in it). They responded to this by saying, ‘Toh hum nahi rahege (Then we will not do the film),” Mustan recalled.

What was the issue?

As per a report in The Indian Express, Nadeem-Shravan wanted to take Kajol under their wing after the success of her 1992 debut film, Bekhudi, in which they served as the music composers. However, during a visit to her residence, they were taken aback by her mother and veteran actor Tanuja's behaviour. Subsequently, they decided never to work with Kajol again.

Abbas-Mustan eventually signed Anu Malik as the music composer for Baazigar, and he gave us memorable melodies like Ye Kaali Kaali Aankhen, Kitaben Bahut Si, Ae Mere Humsafar, and the title track, Baazigar O Baazigar. Alongside Kajol, the film starred Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty (in her debut role), Dilip Tahil, and Johnny Lever. 

Nadeem-Shravan were a popular music duo in the 1990s, before they split up in 2005. Shravan died of Covid-19 in 2021. Kajol will be next seen in Do Patti. Baazigar was recently re-released in cinemas after completing 30 years since its initial release.

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