Bollywood

“‘Happy New Year’: From Rejections To SRK’s Biggest Hit”

In 2005, Shah Rukh Khan was at the top of his game with hits like Devdas, Kal Ho Naa Ho, and Main Hoon Na. Around the same time, director Farah Khan planned her dream project, Happy New Year, a heist movie with a massive star cast. However, the film faced years of delays, casting changes, and rejections.

The Delays and Rejections

Farah initially wanted seven superstars like Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Juhi Chawla, and Priyanka Chopra in the cast. But the project didn’t take off. Deepika Padukone was signed in 2006 but was later cast in Om Shanti Om instead. The film stayed in limbo for six years as Farah made other movies.

In 2009, a fallout between Shah Rukh and Farah added to the delays. The project finally revived in 2012 after they reconciled. Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, and others turned down roles, but eventually, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, and Sonu Sood joined the cast.

A Blockbuster at the Box Office

Released in October 2014, Happy New Year set records with the highest opening day for a Hindi film. It earned ₹183 crore in India and over ₹400 crore worldwide, including China. The movie became Shah Rukh’s biggest hit until Pathaan broke the record in 2023.