Isha Koppikar regrets losing Sonali’s Dil Chahta Hai role
In an exclusive interview, Isha Koppikar reveals she had to turn down the role Sonali Kulkarni played in Dil Chahta Hai and why she still regrets it.
Isha Koppikar has worked across Telugu, Tamil and Hindi cinema, but one Bollywood decision still follows her. In an exclusive interview with HT Lifestyle, she revealed that the role played by Sonali Kulkarni in Dil Chahta Hai — opposite Saif Ali Khan — was originally offered to her. She had to turn it down.
“I regret that decision,” she said.
The role that slipped away
At the time, Koppikar was already committed to Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat, and the two schedules collided. She chose to honour the commitment she had made rather than walk away for a film that would go on to become a cult favourite.
For fans, this is the kind of casting what-if that changes how you see a beloved film. The part became a key thread in one of Bollywood’s defining friendship stories. Koppikar is not blaming anyone — it was simply a schedule collision. That makes the regret feel more grounded.
A career built on choices
Koppikar started acting at 16 with no film family to guide her. She said that if you depend financially on acting, you can end up compromising creatively at some point, and she has tried not to do that.
“I think it is very important not to make creative compromises if you are passionate about acting,” she said.
Her journey so far
- Debut: Telugu film W/o V. Vara Prasad in 1997, Tamil debut Kaadhal Kavithai in 1998, Hindi debut Fiza in 2000.
- Breakout moment: the Khallas track from Company showed a bolder screen image.
- Notable films include Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi and Don 2.
- She now wants to explore action, biopics, spiritual and mythological roles; she is a Taekwondo black belt.
OTT and self-acceptance
She also weighed in on how streaming has shifted priorities. Her take: “content is definitely more important than the names you choose to cast in a film.” It is a useful filter when choosing what to watch next.
On self-image, she warned against copying others and urged people to focus on becoming the best version of themselves. “You have to be your own kind of beautiful,” she said.
Source: Hindustan Times
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