Sadiya Siddiqui has revisited one of the most memorable chapters of her career with an unexpected confession about ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’. The actor, who played Shah Rukh Khan’s younger sister Nikki in Kundan Shah’s beloved romantic drama, admitted that she initially resisted the role because she was hopelessly smitten with the superstar. In fact, she had her heart set on playing his romantic interest instead.
A childhood crush made the role difficult to accept
When Sadiya was approached for ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’, she was already familiar to audiences through the Doordarshan serial ‘Humrahi’. Director Kundan Shah cast her as Shah Rukh Khan’s on-screen sister, but the young actor wasn’t thrilled with the idea.Explaining why she turned down the offer at first, Sadiya shared with SCREEN, “When I was called for the film, I was already drowning in love for Shah Rukh Khan. It was complete love. I wouldn’t even see anyone else. I loved him, and I still love him.”She even told the filmmaker the real reason behind her hesitation.“Because I don’t have those feelings for him. And in my eyes, you’ll see the real feelings, and that wouldn’t work. I was surprised I had the courage to say that so directly to him. So, he started laughing.”
She tried convincing the director to cast her as Anna
Instead of playing Nikki, Sadiya hoped she could portray Anna, the female lead eventually essayed by Suchitra Krishnamoorthi. Believing she could change Kundan Shah’s mind, she arrived the next day dressed to appear older than her age.Recalling the amusing incident, she shared, “The next day, I picked out my best dress. I did makeup and curled my hair. I was looking like a cartoon, a little girl trying to look older. He laughed and said, ‘No, you’ll play the sister.’ He didn’t give me a choice of not doing the role.”Despite her disappointment, Sadiya said she eventually embraced the character and relied on her acting skills to separate fiction from reality.“It was very difficult, but see, I’m a good actor. I had different feelings for him in my heart, but my eyes would tell a different story. My eyes would say he’s my brother.”
Shah Rukh Khan’s warmth stayed with her long after the film
Although she never confessed her admiration to Shah Rukh Khan, Sadiya said his kindness left a lasting impression. One memory she cherishes is from the shoot of a beach sequence, when the actor noticed she had been sitting under the harsh sun.She remembered, “When Shah Rukh came back, he asked me, ‘Why are you sitting in the sun? Go, sit in the car and have some water.’”Years later, the duo met again at a dubbing studio, and Sadiya was touched that Shah Rukh instantly recognised her.“I saw Shah Rukh standing there. I thought he wouldn’t remember me. He said, ‘Sadiya?’ I said, ‘You remember me?’ He said, ‘Of course, I remember you.’ He hugged me, and I hugged him back. I wouldn’t miss that chance.”
Every reunion reminded her why she admired him
Sadiya also recalled meeting Shah Rukh during another professional visit, where she accidentally walked into his makeup room while looking for a washroom. The actor said he greeted her warmly and made her feel completely at ease.Sharing the memory, she said, “He said, ‘Hiiii! How are you? You want to eat?’ I said, ‘No, I’ve eaten. I wanted to use the washroom.’ He said, ‘Yes, please go.’ This is many years of meeting him. So, that’s Shah Rukh Khan.”Looking back, Sadiya’s memories of ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’ are filled with laughter, nostalgia and admiration for her co-star, whose warmth off-screen, she says, has remained unchanged over the years.