Overview

• In a late June interview with The Lallantop, Khan said Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt and Shraddha Kapoor all declined to join the film during casting.
• The production ultimately cast Fatima Sana Shaikh but prohibited pairing her opposite Khan over concerns his prior role as her father in Dangal would unsettle audiences.
• Khan spent six to eight months clashing with producer Aditya Chopra and director Vijay Krishna Acharya over the film’s story structure.
• Significant plotlines were cut before shooting, including Zafira Baig’s revenge arc and a planned interval death for Amitabh Bachchan’s character.
• His revelations have prompted fresh discussion on the challenges of star-driven blockbusters and creative alignment in Bollywood.