Despite its lacklustre performance at the box office, the 2018 film Manmarziyaan, featuring Abhishek Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, and Taapsee Pannu, garnered positive reviews from both critics and audiences. Recently, Kanika Dhillon, the film's writer, revealed that these actors were not the initial choices for their roles. In an interview, the writer-producer elaborated on the mid-production casting changes that occurred when some performers withdrew from the project.

Kanika Dhillon's Journey to Manmarziyaan  

Dhillon began her professional journey as a writer and has since expanded her role to include production. In the days following the completion of Manmarziyaan, she reflected on the significant challenges she encountered. She shared with Screen that establishing her voice in the industry was the first and most crucial step for her as a writer. Manmarziyaan was a project she undertook during a period of personal struggle. The process of securing approval, writing, revising, and casting spanned four to five years, which she described as her most formidable challenge to date.

Four years prior to the commencement of production, the writer-turned-producer revealed that she had authored the screenplay. Kanika Dhillon emphasized the importance of keeping characters vibrant in romantic narratives to prevent them from becoming stale. She remained committed to the story, awaiting feedback from others without halting her efforts. Balancing her responsibilities as a working mother of a toddler added to her challenges. She described Manmarziyaan as her most challenging film, as she struggled to discover her unique voice.

Interruption and Reshooting with a New Ensemble  

The process of rewriting the script proved to be challenging, as did the actual reshooting of the film. The filming of Manmarziyaan was interrupted midway, and upon resuming, it featured a completely new cast. Many actors hesitated to accept these roles due to concerns about potential public rejection.

Dhillon remarked that each character she met during the casting process exhibited specific insecurities. It appeared quite daunting for them that the husband would be supportive of Rumi, while the boyfriend displayed a fear of commitment. Ultimately, these actors thrived in their roles, as if they had been destined for them.

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