Ghajini was rejected by 12 actors including Mahesh Babu, R Madhavan before Suriya bagged the role!

Bollywood's Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan's 2008 action-thriller Ghajini, despite being a remake of 2005's Tamil flick with the same title, starring Suriya in the lead, set a new benchmark in the Indian film industry. Helmed by AR Murugadoss, the Hindi remake proved to be a game-changer and paved the way for the Rs 100 crore club. But did you know that Suriya was not Murugadoss' first choice for the protagonist in Ghajini?

Related Story: Not Aamir Khan, Salman Khan was the first choice for Ghajini!

Ghajini Was Rejected by 12 Actors!

Before the protagonist role landed with Suriya, Ghajini was rejected by 12 actors, including Mahesh Babu, Ajith Kumar and R Madhavan. After the rejection of 12 actors, the role ultimately landed with Suriya.

Madhavan Reveals It All

During a conversation with Suriya on social media, the Kesari Chapter 2 actor revealed that he turned down the offer as he reportedly didn't like the second half of the script.

As per a report by Gallata, during the live session, Maddy opened up about rejecting the role and how it eventually went to Suriya.

Reportedly, Madhavan said, “I was offered a film called Ghajini. I rejected the film as I didn’t like the story, and I told director AR Murugadoss, sir, that the second half of the film didn’t connect with me."

Further, expressing his happiness after seeing Suriya in the film, Madhavan said, "Ghajini went to many heroes and eventually came to you. I was very happy after watching you. I had seen you earlier in Kaakha Kaakha, and I was happy because I felt the role in Ghajini had gone to the right person, which you as well proved."

Furthermore, Madhavan praised Suriya's dedication to the role. The 3 Idiots actor also revealed that he was stunned after learning that Suriya had stopped consuming salt in his meals for over a week to achieve the six-pack abs required for the role.

“I watched the hard work you had put in for your role in the film and for achieving your six-pack abs. At the time, it made me wonder whether I could do this since you were working that hard. I remember quite well that you had not consumed any salt for nearly a week for your physique, and it created a disinterest in my work," said Madhavan.

Ghajini: The Game Changer

Notably, Suriya's Ghajini was made on a budget of Rs 7 crore and minted around Rs 50 crore. Later, it was remade in Hindi with Aamir Khan at a budget of Rs 65 crore. The Hindi version's lifetime box office collection was Rs 232 crore worldwide.

Must Read: Ghajini 2 BIG UPDATE: Suriya and Aamir Khan to shoot simultaneously, 'No Remake Tag'

Ghajini Sequel On Cards

Well, recently, reports have been abuzz that Murugadoss is planning for a sequel to Ghajini which will be simultaneously filmed in Tamil with Suriya and in Hindi with Aamir. Even reports suggest that both Suriya and Aamir will make a special appearance in each other's movies in their respective characters. Undeniably, fans are eagerly anticipating updates on the bilingual flick.