Imagine you’re a young filmmaker, burning with ambition, and you stumble across a story so juicy you can’t stop thinking about it. You pour your heart into writing a script, dreaming of the day it hits the big screen. Then, someone casually drops that your dream project? Yeah, it’s already being shot—with Shah Rukh Khan. That’s the wild, bittersweet tale Sriram Raghavan shared recently, and it’s got me hooked. The man behind Andhadhun and Badlapur almost made his own version of Baazigar, the 1993 thriller that launched SRK into superstardom. Buckle up, because this story’s a rollercoaster.
A Novel That Sparked a Dream
Back in his struggling days, before he became Bollywood’s king of twisty thrillers, Sriram Raghavan got his hands on a novel called A Kiss Before Dying. He was floored. “This is it,” he thought, “the story I’ve got to turn into a film.” It was dark, twisted—a tale about a cold-blooded psychopath who’d do anything, including murder, to climb the social ladder. No revenge, no redemption, just pure, chilling ambition. Sriram didn’t even think about pesky things like adaptation rights. He was too busy scribbling his vision, crafting a script that felt like a punch to the gut.
He was so pumped he pitched it to veteran actor Tinnu Anand, laying out the story with all the passion of a guy who’d found his big break. But halfway through, Tinnu gave him a look—like, dude, you serious? “The film you’re describing,” Tinnu said, “it’s already being made. I’m in it.” Sriram’s jaw probably hit the floor. That film? Baazigar, directed by Abbas-Mustan, produced by Venus Films, and already in production with a young Shah Rukh Khan as the charming, scheming anti-hero. Talk about a plot twist.
Watching His Dream Hit the Big Screen—Without Him
When Baazigar finally dropped in 1993, Sriram headed to Mumbai’s Anupam theatre to see what he’d missed out on. The crowd was losing it—cheering, gasping, totally swept up in SRK’s electric performance. Meanwhile, Sriram sat there, quiet as a mouse, watching someone else’s take on his story. “The entire public went electric,” he recalled, chuckling about it years later. But you can imagine the mix of awe and what-ifs swirling in his head.
Here’s the kicker: Sriram’s version would’ve been a whole different beast. Abbas-Mustan’s Baazigar leaned into Bollywood’s masala vibe—revenge, romance, iconic songs like “Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein.” Sriram, though? He wanted to stick closer to the novel’s raw edge. Picture a leaner, meaner thriller about a guy who kills three women in his ruthless quest to become a millionaire. No tragic backstory, no dance numbers—just a psychopath’s cold, calculated climb. It’s the kind of dark, gritty storytelling we now know Sriram nails, like in Ek Hasina Thi or Johnny Gaddaar. Man, what could’ve been.
The Shah Rukh Connection and a Missed Shot with Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Sriram didn’t just shrug and move on. He actually met Shah Rukh and the Abbas-Mustan duo after the film came out, laughing as he told them, “Guys, I was writing this too!” You’ve got to love his good humor about it. But he wasn’t ready to let the idea die. He took his script to producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra, hoping to get it made anyway. “You produce it,” Sriram urged. Chopra wasn’t sold. “Where are the songs?” he asked. “It’s not spicy enough, not masala enough.” Sriram pushed back—he didn’t want to water down his vision with Bollywood tropes. In the end, the project fizzled, and Sriram moved on to carve his own path.
Why This Story Hits So Hard
So, why does this random anecdote from Sriram Raghavan’s past feel like such a big deal? For one, it’s a peek into the chaos and heartbreak of filmmaking. Even a genius like Sriram, who’s now celebrated for his razor-sharp thrillers, had to face the gut-punch of seeing his dream slip away. It’s relatable—how many of us have had a great idea, only to find out someone beat us to it? Plus, it’s a reminder of how close we came to a totally different Baazigar, one that might’ve traded SRK’s flashy charisma for something bleaker, more psychological.
This story also shines a light on what makes Sriram so special. He’s not just a director; he’s a storyteller who takes risks. Baazigar was a game-changer for Shah Rukh, proving he could play a morally gray character and still win hearts. But Sriram’s version could’ve pushed Bollywood into darker territory earlier, paving the way for the kind of edgy thrillers he’d later perfect. It’s like he was ahead of his time, itching to tell stories that didn’t need songs or melodrama to grip you.
What If Sriram Had Made It?
Let’s play the what-if game. Imagine Sriram’s Baazigar hitting theaters in the early ’90s. Maybe it’s a lean, 90-minute thrill ride, all shadows and tension, with a lead actor—Shah Rukh or someone else—playing a villain you can’t look away from. Maybe it bombs because Bollywood wasn’t ready for something so raw. Or maybe it’s a cult classic, the kind of film that inspires a generation of filmmakers. Either way, it’s fun to think about how one missed opportunity might’ve reshaped Indian cinema.
For now, Sriram’s moved on to bigger things. Andhadhun was a global hit, Merry Christmas showed his knack for quiet intensity, and whatever he’s cooking up next is bound to keep us guessing. But this Baazigar story? It’s a gem—a reminder that even the roads not taken can leave a mark. So, next time you rewatch SRK scheming his way through Baazigar, spare a thought for Sriram Raghavan, the guy who almost made it his own.
