Salman Khan's Sister, Arpita Suggested Aishwarya's Look Alike Sneha Ullal, Reveals 'Lucky' Director

Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai were one of the most talked about duo in the Hindi film industry. The two renowned stars shared the screen space in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and their sizzling chemistry was admired by everyone. Amid the film's success, speculations about the duo's real-life romance spread far and wide. But by 2002, they allegedly broke up, citing Salman's harassment towards the actress. Later, in 2005, they again made headlines after the superstar was paired with Aishwarya Rai's look-alike Sneha Ullal in Lucky: No Time For Love. In a recent interview, the film's directors, Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru opened up about the same. 

Lucky directors reveal casting Sneha Ullal wasn't an intentional strategy 

Salman Khan's 2005 film, Lucky: No Time For Love, came under the spotlight not only for its plot but also for its lead actress, who had a strong resemblance to his alleged former girlfriend, Aishwarya Rai. The comparisons deeply troubled Sneha during her brief career in Bollywood. But, recently, the film's directors, Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru, sat down for an interview with Hindi Rush and revealed that it wasn't a deliberate move. Instead, they revealed that she was suggested for the movie by Salman Khan's sister, Arpita Khan, as they studied in the same college. In their words:

"It wasn't a strategy. We wanted to cast a newcomer, and Arpita said that there was a very pretty girl at her college and asked if we wanted to audition for her. The role was of a schoolgirl whose parents were working in an embassy. She needed to have the vibe of someone who has lived in Europe. She suited the role."

When the director duo began filming, they didn't realise that she had a strong facial resemblance to Aishwarya Rai. However, when the film was about to be released, the fans and media highlighted the aspect and made comparisons between Aishwarya and her. They mentioned that they did notice some similarities between her and the Guru actress but stated that no one can be compared to Aishwarya's beauty. However, they feel that being compared to Aishwarya in terms of beauty is a good thing. They explained:

"We would notice a resemblance sometimes while shooting, but there are so many people who look like others. We never thought that the similarity was all that striking, but when the campaign started, and people started pointing it out, that's when we noticed. It would be a lie to say that we didn't think about it, but it wasn't a big deal. It's a good thing to be compared to Aishwarya!"

When Sneha Ullal reacted to her comparison with Aishwarya Rai 

In the past, when Sneha Ullal was asked questions about people drawing a parallel between her and Aishwarya, she emphasised that publicists essentially created this narrative. At the same time, she felt if the PR people did not make a deliberate move, the people would not have made a big issue out of it. Sharing her views, Sneha said:

"I am so comfortable in my own skin, and all those comparisons didn't bother me. Also, that was their PR strategy on how to describe me. That thing actually emphasised the entire comparison. Otherwise, it may not have been such a big deal."

More about Sneha Ullal 

Sneha Ullal is known for performances in Telugu and Hindi films. She began filming for her debut film, Lucky: No Time for Love, in 2003 when she was just 17 years old. However, her facial resemblance to Aishwarya Rai made headlines. The actress was next seen opposite Sohail Khan in Aryan. Since she was too young, she took a hiatus from Bollywood and made her Telugu debut in Ullasamga Utsahamga. Sneha was also seen in films like Nenu Meeku Telusa?, King, Bezubaan Ishq, and more. 

What do you think about Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru's revelations on not having any deliberate intention behind casting Sneha Ullal in Lucky: No Time For love? 

Next Read: Unseen Picture Of Sharmila Tagore Engaged In A Candid Chat With First Daughter-In-Law, Amrita Singh

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Get App

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Choose your device Android or IOS (Apple)