Featuring Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor in the leading roles, Raja Hindustani is one of the biggest hits of the 1990s. Directed by Dharmesh Darshan, the movie also featured Suresh Oberoi, Archana Puran Singh, Tiku Talsania, Mohnish Behl, Johnny Lever, and Farida Jalal in key roles. Kunal Kemmu was also seen as a child actor.
The movie became famous for the kissing scenes between Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor. The first cut of the film lasted for 265 minutes, i.e. 4 hours and 25 minutes long. Talking about the same, the director Dharmesh Darshan said that some crucial scenes were cut from the movie. One of them involved an emotional Aamir Khan and he asserted that Aamir could have won National Film Award for Best Actor if that scene hadn't edited out from the movie.
The filmmaker told Bollywood Hungama, "It was a brilliant 15 minute scene when Aamir Khan comes to know that the child is there. He goes in the house and the child is not there as Karisma had taken the child to see a doctor. He cries. Archana Puran Singh, Pramod Moutho and Mohnish Bahl get him beaten up, throw him out of the house and tell him that Karisma doesn't want him. He did it very, very well. That is when Aamir Khan gets aggressive and kidnaps the child. I went to meet Aamir Khan in Film City at night to inform that the length was an issue and the producer wants it cut. He requested to retain, but, I couldn't. If that sequence would have been retained, Aamir Khan could have won a National Award for his performance."
Before Karisma Kapoor was finalised as the leading lady, Raja Hindustani was offered to Juhi Chawla and Aishwarya Rai. Juhi refused the movie due to the kissing scenes with Aamir as she reportedly had some problems with the superstar at that point. Aishwarya had won Miss World 1994 pageant and wasn't sure if she would take up acting as a career. Talking to Vogue, she had said, "I'm often cited as the person who established the beauty pageant-to-films route, but that was not the case with me. I had at least four film offers (before the pageants). In fact, I decided to participate in Miss India to step back from the film industry for a bit. If I hadn’t taken part in Miss India, Raja Hindustani (1996) would have been my first film."
Made in Rs 5.75 crore, Raja Hindustani went on to gross Rs 76.34 crore worldwide and became the highest-grossing film of 1996. One of the major reasons behind its success was Nadeem Shravan's record-selling soudtrack with hits like Pardesi Pardesi, Pucho Zara Pucho, Aaye Ho Meri Zindagi Mein, and Kitna Pyaare Tujhe Rabne. The Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor-starrer won five Filmfare Awards for Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Music Director, and Best Male Playback Singer.
READ | Meet actress, whose debut film was huge flop, refused blockbusters with Shah Rukh, Aamir, Akshay, still became superstar
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