Shah Rukh Khan NOT Sanjay Dutt was original 'Munnabhai' choice; here's what the superstar has to say!

New Delhi: Not many are aware of the fact that Shah Rukh Khan and not Sanjay Dutt was the first choice to play the iconic 'Munnabhai' role in the film. Recently, the superstar was asked whether he regrets not doing the role.

PTI quoted him as saying, “I think every film is written in an actor's destiny. I don't think I would have done it as well as Sanjay Dutt has. I think he was fantastic in the film."

Vidhu Vinod Chopra had offered Shah Rukh Khan to play the titular role but he rejected it apparently due to health issues and the project eventually went to Sanjay Dutt. And the lovable goon in the Rajkumar Hirani-directed venture became a huge turning point in Dutt's career.

SRK talked about the film on the sidelines of the launch of Bone Marrow Transplant and Birthing Centre, named after his mother, at a super-speciality hospital in Mumbai.

"In Indian cinema doctors are treated like gods. They are the last hope and this part is shown in the films. Today young filmmakers do a lot of research in a way to pass on some message or information about anything related to it (health and disease)," SRK said on the role of cinema in creating awareness about diseases.

The 52-year-old actor, who in his over two-decade-long career has suffered several injuries, said one should go for regular health check-ups for the sake of one's family.

"I had a knee injury during a dance sequence. I am not a surgery junkie, I have had nine or ten surgeries... I still have to to take my stitches off. We all should get rid of ailments and go for regular check-ups. We don't do it but we should for our family and kids."

(With PTI inputs)