1. – Urmila Matondkar, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, India, 1994. Rani (Kajol’s cousin) debuted at age 14 in her father’s Bengali film, Biyar Phool, 1992. But two years later, Daddy told her she was too young for a film by family friend, Salim Akhtar.
2. – Gracy Singh, Munnabhai MBBS, India, 2003. Rani loved the script, signed on early and then her schedule got in the way of her playing Chinky, aka Dr Suman Asthana.
3. – Aishwarya Rai, The Rising, India, 2005. “ I was supposed to play the widow Jwala’s character – yes, the one Ash was supposed to have done. Now Ameesha Patel is doing that. While , I fell in love with the small role of the prostitute. There were two or three very good scenes. The script underwent a change, and I got more space than before. But it’s still a cameo.”
4. – Vidya Balan, Parineeta, India, 2005. The producer and scripter (sometime director) Vidhu Vinod Chopra wanted a top draw – Rani or Aishwarya Rai – as Saif Ali Khan’s girl, Lolita. Poor Vidya had to test for six months before he approved her.
5. – Tabu, The Namesake, 2006. Delighted with her in Mani Ratnam’s Yuva, India’s only international director, Mira Nair, offered Rani her first Hollywood lead – and she was tied to Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. And Tabu was brilliant!
6. – Preity Zinta, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, India, 2006. Rani took over the lead when Kajol defected from India’s most expensive Hindi film ($15m). And Rani’s original role went to pretty Preity.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 6