Pakistani actor Imran Abbas, popularly known for his performances in Bollywood films Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Creature 3D, recently opened up about turning down several superhit Bollywood films like Aashiqui, PK, and Ram Leela. During his appearance on the show Shan-e-Suhoor, the actor said, “Career-wise main peeche mud ke dekhta hun, Aashiqui (2) jaise film chodh di, sab kehte hai, ‘Aashiqui chodh di, itni badi film, aree Ram Leela tumne keh diya ki unko.' PK mein ho Sarfaraz wala role tha, Heeramandi jo abhi inki film aa rahi hai Sanjay Leela Bhansali ki, wo toh maine mana nahi ki thi, shelf ho gayi thi. Guzaarish ek film thi. [In terms of my career, I look back and see that I left behind a film like Aashiqui; everyone says, 'You left Aashiqui, such a big film, and also Ram Leela.' In PK, I was offered the role of Sarfaraz. Heeramandi, which is Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming film, I didn't reject that; it was shelved. Guzaarish was one film.]”
Talking about saying no to a big project like Aashiqui 2, Imran Abbas expressed, “Aashiqui sabse bada project tha. Ab toh har koi keh raha hota hai ki mujhe bhi Aashiqui offer huyi, aap Mahesh Bhatt se jake pooch lijiye that the only official offer made by that director, Mohit Suri and the producer, wo sirf mujhe hi unhone ki thi. [Aashiqui was the biggest project. Now everyone claims that they were offered Aashiqui, but you should go and ask Mahesh Bhatt. The only official offer made by the director, Mohit Suri, and the producer, was only made to me.]”
He continued, “Lekin log mujhe ehsaas dilane ki kosish karte hai ki ye kya kar diya, wo toh itni badi film thi aur kaunsi film kar ke aa gaye, wo itni hit nahi huyi. Bhai please aap mujhe depress karne ki koshish na karein, main nahi hounga. [However, people try to make me feel like I made a mistake, that it was such a big film, and the film I did instead, didn't become such a big hit. Brother, please don't try to depress me; I won't let that happen.]”
Imran Abbas's last Indian project was the Punjabi film Jee Ve Sohneya Jee. The film featured Simi Chahal as the female lead.