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Mumbai: With Cocktail 2 enjoying a strong run in theatres, fans are revisiting the 2012 original that became a cult favourite thanks to the chemistry between Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty. But did you know Saif was not the first choice to play Gautam in the film?

In a recent conversation with Variety India, Saif revealed that the makers had initially approached several actors, including Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan, before he came on board.

According to the actor, many were hesitant to take up the role because Veronica’s character was so powerful and well-written.

Cocktail stars Diana Penty, Deepika Padukone and Saif Ali Khan (Instagram)

“They had Deepika and Diana, but they couldn’t get a hero to play the part, probably because Veronica’s part is so delicious,” Saif said.

Recalling how he landed the film, he added, “I remember some names they asked. I think they had asked Imran and they had asked Ranbir. And they had asked a few people, and I said, ‘Okay, chal, I’ll do it.’ And I think they should all be very thankful I did,” he joked.

Saif further said that he thoroughly enjoyed working on the film with director Homi Adajania. “I had great fun. I love Homi. And we had a good time doing it,” he added.

Interestingly, Ranbir Kapoor had previously spoken about turning down the film. As quoted by NDTV, the actor admitted that he failed to see what made the script special at the time.

“I didn’t know what the script of Cocktail was; I just knew that Imtiaz had written it,” Ranbir said. He recalled questioning Deepika Padukone’s decision to do the film despite having several other offers.

“She saw something special in Cocktail that I probably didn’t see. Her instinct turned out to be better than mine,” he admitted.

More than a decade later, Cocktail remains one of the most loved romantic dramas in Bollywood, while its sequel, Cocktail 2, starring Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna, is now playing in theatres. Directed by Homi Adajania, the film reportedly earned around Rs 24 crore worldwide on its opening day.

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