Karan Johar, Shah Rukh Convinced Gauri Shinde to Replace An Actress With Alia Bhatt in Dear Zindagi

Alia Bhatt got critical acclaim for her performance in Gauri Shinde's Dear Zindagi. However, the actress was not the first choice for the film. In a throwback video, which has now gone viral on social media (for all the wrong reasons), film journalist Rajeev Masand asks Alia about how he heard that the makers of film Dear Zindagi were supposed to make the film with another actress, and it was Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar who really pushed Gauri Shinde to convince her that the Highway star wouldn’t look too young for the role. In the video, Alia admits to the fact that another actress was to star in Dear Zindagi, but denies knowing about Shah Rukh and Karan's requests to Gauri.

"I know that there was someone else on board earlier. And then there was a conversation about the film maybe going to me. That's all I know. And the next thing I know that Gauri came to me and we were on board. Now, I don't know whether she got convinced... Maybe because I was young, but it's okay because sometimes your director has to see things a little differently."

Rumours were rife that it was Katrina Kaif who was earlier on board, but Alia eventually replaced her.

The video has been garnering mean comments from netizens, with many calling out Alia for "hijacking" other actors' projects.

Alia has been at the receiving end of massive online outrage following Sushant Singh Rajput's death, with both her filmmaker father Mahesh Bhatt and her being criticised for riding on the privileges of an insider. Alia has also limited the comments on her Instagram after receiving hate messages on her posts.