Tamannaah Bhatia Nearly Did Dhurandhar’s ‘Shararat’, Here’s Why Aditya Dhar Said No
Choreographer Vijay Ganguly recently revealed that Tamannaah Bhatia was the first choice for the song ‘Shararat’.
Aditya Dhar’s spy thriller ‘Dhurandhar’ is currently dominating both the box office and the music charts. While the title track and the song ‘Fa9la’ have already achieved viral status, the dance number ‘Shararat’ is generating its own headlines – not just for its choreography, but for the casting choices that almost happened. The high-energy track ‘Shararat’ features Ayesha Khan and Krystle D’Souza performing at a high-profile wedding in Karachi.
However, in a recent interview with Filmygyan, choreographer Vijay Ganguly revealed that his original vision for the song looked very different. “In my head, she [Tamannaah Bhatia] was (the one),” Vijay Ganguly admitted, noting that he had suggested the actress for the song.
Despite Tamannaah's recent massive success with dance numbers like ‘Kaavaalaa’ (Jailer), ‘Aaj Ki Raat’ (Stree 2), and ‘Ghafoor’ (The Ba**ds of Bollywood), director Aditya Dhar decided to veto the choice.
Aditya Dhar’s reasoning was strictly narrative-driven. According to Vijay Ganguly, the director was adamant about avoiding the traditional “item song” trope. Aditya Dhar did not want a song that felt disconnected from the plot.
He believed that casting a major star like Tamannaah Bhatia for a single-person dance would distract the audience from the unfolding story. The director eventually convinced Vijay Ganguly to use two dancers instead of one to keep the focus balanced.
The choreographer explained that with so much happening in the film, a star-vehicle song would have felt like a “cut-to song” rather than an organic part of the movie.
Despite the creative debates behind the scenes, ‘Dhurandhar’ has proven to be a massive commercial success. The film has already crossed Rs 500 crore at the domestic box office and has surpassed Rs 800 crore worldwide.
Based on true events, the film stars Ranveer Singh as an Indian operative tasked with infiltrating gangs in Pakistan’s Lyari to dismantle terrorist links. Written, co-produced, and directed by Aditya Dhar, the film features a powerhouse cast including Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi.
While the film is a runaway hit, it hasn't been without its share of friction. Since its release, ‘Dhurandhar’ has been embroiled in controversy regarding allegations of false propaganda. Nevertheless, the combination of a high-stakes spy plot and a chart-topping soundtrack continues to draw massive audiences globally.
