When the film was first announced, Bhansali wanted to cast Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai (his lead pair from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam), but could not do so after their highly publicised “break-up”.
Later, there were reports Bhansali would cast Khan and Kareena Kapoor as the lead pair, with Rani Mukerji playing Baji Rao’s first wife. But in July 2003, Bhansali said at the popular talk show Koffee with Karan, that he had scrapped the plan as Khan and Kapoor had had signed other movies together. Bhansali wanted to be the first director to showcase this pair.
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