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Saif reveals Imran, Ranbir turned down 'Cocktail'
20 Jun 2026

Saif Ali Khan, who starred in the 2012 film Cocktail alongside Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty, recently revealed that he wasn't the first choice for the movie.

In a conversation with Variety India, he said that many popular actors were approached before him, including Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan.

"They had Deepika and Diana, but they couldn't get a hero to play the part, probably because Veronica's part is so delicious," Khan said.

'They should all be very thankful...'
Casting details

Khan reflected, "I think they had asked Imran Khan and they had asked Ranbir Kapoor. And they had asked a few people, and I said, 'Okay cool I'll do it.' And I think they should all be very thankful I did."

"That's my story. Yeah, because I had great fun. I love Homi. And we had a good time doing it."

Kapoor was initially skeptical about Padukone's decision
Actor's perspective

Kapoor was initially skeptical about Padukone's decision to do Cocktail.

In a past conversation with NDTV, he said, "When Deepika was about to do the film she had a lot of good offers at the time, but she chose Cocktail."

"I didn't know what the script of Cocktail was; I just knew that Imtiaz had written it."

However, he later admitted that his judgment was incorrect and praised Padukone's performance in the film.

This is how 'Cocktail' impacted Padukone's career
Career highlight

Cocktail turned out to be a game-changer for Padukone.

Her portrayal of Veronica was widely appreciated and catapulted her into superstardom, setting the stage for an incredible run in the years that followed.

The film's spiritual sequel, Cocktail 2, starring Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Kriti Sanon, was released on Friday.