Daisy Shah reveals what happened after she rejected Hazel Keech's role in Salman Khan's Bodyguard: 'There was pin-drop silence'
ETimes | May 19, 2026 2:39 AM CST
Daisy Shah may have made her Bollywood breakthrough opposite Salman Khan in Jai Ho , but before that, the actress had actually turned down one of his films. In a recent interview, Daisy recalled the difficult moment when she said no to Salman Khan’s Bodyguard and revealed how tense the atmosphere became afterward.
Daisy Shah says rejecting Salman Khan was not easyTalking about the incident, Daisy admitted that she mentally prepared herself for days before having the conversation with Salman Khan.
“I had to prepare myself for a week in the mirror. I had to gather all my courage to say what I had to say to him,” she shared with Bollywood Bubble.
The actress further revealed that she has a habit of replaying conversations in her mind and thinking about how she could have responded differently.
“Toh mere case mein kya hota hai na ki koi bhi conversation hone ke baad main analyse karti hoon ki, ‘Oh shit, mujhe aise jawab dena chahiye tha. Mujhe aise bolna chahiye tha.’ Toh mera after-thinking zyada hota hai. Main pre-hand thinking karti hi nahi hoon,” Daisy said.
Daisy recalls Salman Khan’s reactionDaisy Shah went on to describe Salman Khan’s reaction after she declined the offer for Bodyguard, admitting that the silence in the room felt never-ending.
“There was a pin-drop silence in the room for a good five to seven minutes. Five to seven minutes is too long. At that point of time, it felt very long. It still is very long for a dictated situation like that. And main andar hi andar bol rahi thi, ‘Please say something, please say something.’ And there was only one thing that came from his mouth. He was like, ‘Okay,’” she recalled.
When asked if Salman Khan was upset, Daisy instead defended him and pointed out that he may have simply been processing the situation.
“Woh bhi toh human hai na. He also must be processing his own things,” she explained.
Daisy Shah on Salman KhanDespite the awkward moment, Daisy had only kind words for Salman Khan and praised the actor for always taking care of people close to him.
“He is the same. I think he is one of the most caring souls that you will ever come across, be it on set, be it in personal life, be it whatever. If you are under his wings, he will take care of you, no matter what,” she said.
Before becoming an actress, Daisy Shah worked as an assistant to choreographer Ganesh Acharya. She later ventured into South cinema and appeared in several songs before Salman Khan approached her for Bodyguard.
The role eventually went to Hazel Keech , while Daisy chose to wait for a role she felt aligned better with her acting ambitions. Nearly one-and-a-half years later, Salman contacted her again and asked her to audition for Jai Ho. She eventually bagged the role and rose to fame with the 2014 film.
Daisy Shah says rejecting Salman Khan was not easyTalking about the incident, Daisy admitted that she mentally prepared herself for days before having the conversation with Salman Khan.
“I had to prepare myself for a week in the mirror. I had to gather all my courage to say what I had to say to him,” she shared with Bollywood Bubble.
The actress further revealed that she has a habit of replaying conversations in her mind and thinking about how she could have responded differently.
“Toh mere case mein kya hota hai na ki koi bhi conversation hone ke baad main analyse karti hoon ki, ‘Oh shit, mujhe aise jawab dena chahiye tha. Mujhe aise bolna chahiye tha.’ Toh mera after-thinking zyada hota hai. Main pre-hand thinking karti hi nahi hoon,” Daisy said.
Daisy recalls Salman Khan’s reactionDaisy Shah went on to describe Salman Khan’s reaction after she declined the offer for Bodyguard, admitting that the silence in the room felt never-ending.
“There was a pin-drop silence in the room for a good five to seven minutes. Five to seven minutes is too long. At that point of time, it felt very long. It still is very long for a dictated situation like that. And main andar hi andar bol rahi thi, ‘Please say something, please say something.’ And there was only one thing that came from his mouth. He was like, ‘Okay,’” she recalled.
When asked if Salman Khan was upset, Daisy instead defended him and pointed out that he may have simply been processing the situation.
“Woh bhi toh human hai na. He also must be processing his own things,” she explained.
Daisy Shah on Salman KhanDespite the awkward moment, Daisy had only kind words for Salman Khan and praised the actor for always taking care of people close to him.
“He is the same. I think he is one of the most caring souls that you will ever come across, be it on set, be it in personal life, be it whatever. If you are under his wings, he will take care of you, no matter what,” she said.
Before becoming an actress, Daisy Shah worked as an assistant to choreographer Ganesh Acharya. She later ventured into South cinema and appeared in several songs before Salman Khan approached her for Bodyguard.
The role eventually went to Hazel Keech , while Daisy chose to wait for a role she felt aligned better with her acting ambitions. Nearly one-and-a-half years later, Salman contacted her again and asked her to audition for Jai Ho. She eventually bagged the role and rose to fame with the 2014 film.
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