14 years of ‘Delhi-6’: Unknown facts about the Rakesh Omprakash Mehra directorial that you should not miss – Times of India

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi-6, featuring Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor in lead roles released on February 20 back in 2009. On the film’s 14th anniversary, we look back at lesser known facts about this quirky and off-beat drama.
Aditi Rao Hydari replaced by Sonam Kapoor

The beautiful Aditi Rao Hydari was supposed to play the lead in Delhi-6. But on the first day of shooting she was informed there was change of plan. She had been replaced by Sonam Kapoor. But she was welcome to do the role of Sonam’s young widowed Bua. Which she reluctantly accepted.

Masak Kali as a background song
The hit song Masak Kali was put in the background. AR Rahman was keen that it be lip-synced by Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor. But Mehra is totally opposed to lip-sync songs. Rahman felt that many of his very good songs in Mehra’s Rang De Basanti and Delhi-6 were used as the background score. They were not used as lip-sync. So the reach of those songs was just 30 or 40 percent of what it was meant to be. Rahman felt songs lip-sync songs make a much greater impact. He had said, “Songs that are sung by major stars on screen get played in clubs and on radio. They make a psychological impact on the audiences’ mind.”

Delhi recreated in Rajasthan

Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk were actually recreated in a small Rajasthani town called Sambhar. “I very much wanted to shoot in Chandni Chowk. But with the crowds it was impossible to do so. Thanks to my art director Samir Chanda no one could tell the difference,” recalls Rakeysh Mehra.

Changing the climax

A year after the release of the ill-received Delhi-6, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra changed the ending. The film was originally planned with Abhishek Bachchan’s character’s death at the end. Mehra, apparently with considerable pressure from his producer, UTV, decided to alter the ending to a happy one. Incidentally, Abhishek had strongly advised his director-friend against the ending. Abhishek and Rakeysh had many arguments on the subject. The producers felt that audiences will react adversely to Abhishek’s character dying. Although Rakeysh was unhappy with it, he shot the alternate ending.