Sultan: When Salman Khan Revealed Mrunal Thakur Was Rejected As His Heroine Due To Weight Issues

Salman Khan mentioned he saw Mrunal Thakur and added that she didn`t look like a wrestler when the actress had appeared on his show to promote Jersey along with Shahid Kapoor.

Mumbai: Mrunal Thakur, now a prominent name in Bollywood and Telugu cinema, once faced rejection for a role in Salman Khan’s 2016 blockbuster Sultan. The actress, who has wowed audiences with her performances in films like Super 30, Jersey, and Sita Ramam, was initially considered to play the female lead in Sultan. However, she lost the role due to not meeting the physical requirements of the character.

During an episode of Bigg Boss Weekend Ka Vaar, where Mrunal appeared to promote her film Jersey, Salman Khan revealed this lesser-known fact about her early career. He shared that director Ali Abbas Zafar had brought Mrunal to his Panvel farmhouse for discussions about the role of Aarfa, a wrestler and Salman’s on-screen love interest in the film.

Salman explained that Mrunal is very talented, but at the time, she didn't meet the demand of the role of a wrestler, as she doesn't look like one, he even added even Anushka didn't, but anyway. Mrunal added that she had lost a lot of weight and maybe that's why she didn't fit the part.

Ultimately, the role went to Anushka Sharma, who underwent extensive training and received critical acclaim for her performance as Aarfa.

Despite the setback, Mrunal didn’t let the rejection discourage her. She made her Bollywood debut in 2018 with the critically acclaimed film Love Sonia, where her performance earned her widespread recognition. Since then, she has delivered powerful performances in a range of films, proving her versatility as an actress.