The scene featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora dancing atop a train in the song "Chaiyya Chaiyya" remains indelibly imprinted in the memories of Bollywood enthusiasts. Nevertheless, it is lesser-known that Malaika was not the initial selection for this legendary track. Additionally, Shah Rukh Khan has expressed his thoughts regarding Prime Minister Modi's reception at the White House, which included "Chaiyya Chaiyya," stating, "I wish I was there to dance."

Not the first choice

It has come to light that Shilpa Shirodkar was initially approached for a song but was turned down due to her weight. Shilpa recounted this experience during a recent episode of Bigg Boss 18.

The incident occurred when filmmaker Farah Khan temporarily took over hosting duties for Weekend Ka Vaar from the regular host, Salman Khan. Throughout her time on the show, she criticized several contestants for their conduct.

During a discussion with fellow contestants Chum Darang and Karanveer Mehra, Shilpa shared a story involving Farah. She disclosed that Farah had reached out to her regarding the song "Chaiyya Chaiyya" from the film Dil Se, but ultimately rejected her because of her size.

“She (Farah) approached me for Chaiyya Chaiyya,” Shilpa stated, noting that Farah had requested her to lose weight in order to participate in the song.

After a week or ten days, Shilpa was informed of her rejection by Farah. When Karan inquired if this was due to her not losing weight, Shilpa recalled Farah's words: “You are too fat for the song.”

Shilpa mentioned that following her rejection, Malaika Arora was cast in the song alongside Shah Rukh Khan. At this juncture, Karanveer humorously asked, “Would the train have stopped if you were on it?” Shilpa dismissed the question, indicating that only Farah and the film's director, Mani Ratnam, could provide the true rationale behind her rejection.

About the song

Chaiyya Chaiyya featured in the 1998 film Dil Se, directed by Mani Ratnam. The memorable song showcased a dance performance by Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora atop a moving train. Sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi, the choreography was crafted by Farah Khan, who received the Filmfare Award for Best Choreography for her work on this song that year.

Chhaiya Chhaiya was created by AR Rahman, with lyrics written by Gulzar. In a 2020 interview, Malaika expressed her belief that Chaiyya Chaiyya should remain untouched and not be recreated, as it holds an 'iconic' status.

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