During her prime, Madhuri Dixit held a special place as filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya’s favored actress. In 1998, when Barjatya was casting for “Hum Saath Saath Hain,” he faced a dilemma as he desired Madhuri for the film but struggled to determine the suitable role for her.
In an interview with Rediff.com, Madhuri revealed that, owing to her inability to turn down any film by Sooraj Barjatya, she engaged in discussions with the director to identify a fitting role. She explained, “Soorajji also was in a dilemma because he wanted me in the film. But he said, ‘Which role do I put you in?’”
Madhuri clarified that certain roles, such as Karisma Kapoor’s or Sonali Bendre’s, were not feasible for her, particularly after her role in “Hum Aapke Hain Koun.” She emphasized the need for her next collaboration with Sooraj to be a progression from her previous role. The filmmakers then contemplated placing her in Tabu’s role as Sadhna, the eldest daughter-in-law in the movie.
However, Madhuri acknowledged the difficulty of establishing a “bhabhi-devar” (sister-in-law and brother-in-law) relationship with Salman Khan, considering their previous roles as lovers in “Hum Aapke Hain Koun.” She highlighted a specific scene involving Salman and Tabu, explaining that visualizing the same with her might have led to a different audience reaction.
Madhuri concluded by stating that the only role she could envision herself playing was that of Reema Lagoo, a powerful character in the film. She expressed her belief that she was too young for that particular role.
“Hum Aapke Hai Kaun,” released in 1999, featured an ensemble cast including Mohnish Bahl, Tabu, Salman Khan, Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Alok Nath, Reema Lagoo, Shakti Kapoor, and Neelam Kothari.