When Juhi Chawla Said She's 'Responsible For Karisma Kapoor’s Stardom': 'I Rejected Raja Hindustani...'

Juhi Chawla turned 56 on Monday and an old interview of hers with Rediff from 2014 is going viral. Reflecting on her career, she mentioned that she has made some “foolish decisions,” including turning down the role in Raja Hindustani, which went on to become a blockbuster. The Aamir Khan-starrer featured Karisma Kapoor opposite him. Juhi also said that she contributed to Karisma’s stardom.

When asked if she regrets not working with Madhuri Dixit before their 2014 film Gulaab Gang, Juhi said that she had the chance to work with her, but she had turned it down. “The only time I got a chance to work with her [Madhuri Dixit] was in Dil Toh Pagal Hai. Back then I didn’t want to play the second lead to Madhuri. At that time I was a little bubble-headed (laughs). You make foolish decisions. I rejected Raja Hindustani and Judaai (1997 film starring Sridevi in lead role) also. All these films went on to become blockbusters. I am responsible for Karisma Kapoor’s stardom.”

In that interview, Juhi was also asked about considering Madhuri her rival in the 1990s and what their relationship was like back then. “Not only Madhuri, but Karisma (Kapoor), Manisha (Koirala), Raveena (Tandon) – we were all rivals. The rivalry remained for some years. We used to meet only on occasions like some film sets or functions. We would just exchange pleasantries and wouldn’t talk beyond that. We all worked in solo heroine films. Very rarely have I done films with two heroines. There were constant comparisons,” she said.

In a recent Lehren Retro interview, director of Raja Hindustani, Dharmesh Darshan, said, “She [Juhi] turned to me and said, ‘But you’re not Sooraj Barjatya (Hum Aapke Hai Koun director).’ Something came on to me, I have a big ego, and I said, ‘You’re not Madhuri Dixit.’ On that little thing, she said no to the film.”