Rakesh Sharma biopic is probably among the most discussed projects in B-town and despite having a promising premise, the makers aren't able to zero in a lead actor. Firstly, it's a biopic and the success ration of which is very high when it comes to the Indian box office. Secondly, it has a certain patriotic feel to it, which further strengthens its ability to dominate the ticket windows. And yet, the project is yet to finalise its lead star. While many A-listers were reportedly approached to play Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to land on the moon, none of them, surprisingly, showed any interest in it until Farhan Akhtar gave his nod. Revealed! The Real Reason Why Aamir Khan Rejected Rakesh Sharma Biopic, Saare Jahaan Se Achcha.

As per new reports in Mumbai Mirror, the Rock On actor has come on board for this biopic and an official announcement on the same will be made very soon. Considering, he has already played Milkha Singh in his biopic, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, it would be easier for him to learn the nuances of a biopic. But the actor certainly wasn't the first choice of the makers. The dilemma of casting started with Aamir Khan. On that note, let's quickly brush up your memory about the actors who apparently rejected this script before Akhtar.

Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan was the first choice for Rakesh Sharma biopic, however, the actor didn't have the desired number of dates. Considering he had already picked the remake of Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump as his next script and also had Vikram Vedha remake and Gulshan Kumar biopic in the making, there's no way he could accommodate a new project until the next couple of years. Hence, he suggested makers rope in Shah Rukh Khan instead.

Shah Rukh Khan

Aamir apparently had a word with SRK and the latter was convinced. In fact, the actor had even given his dates to the biopic and was looking forward to it. However, post the failure of Zero at the box office, Shah Rukh decided to take a sabbatical of some sorts. He wanted to reinvent his thinking process, take a break for an year and decide what kind of movies he wants to do next. As a result, he decided to reject this biopic.

Vicky Kaushal 

Vicky's name came in after SRK left the project. Post the success of Uri, Vicky was the name everyone was looking forward to and the makers of Saare Jahaan Se Achcha (the biopic) were no different. We don't know the reason behind his rejection but his busy schedule could be it.

Ranbir Kapoor

This was hearsay. No one really knows when Kapoor Jr was approached for the role but there are rumours that he was. Even if he was, we know the actor rejected it like his other contemporaries.

Farhan Akhtar

His is the newest name doing the rounds but this one's confirmed mostly. The actor recently had narration and he has okayed the script already. Let's hope things work out this time and Farhan is able to relive this beautiful chapter of the Indian history once again.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 30, 2020 03:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).