Veteran producer Ramesh Taurani recently shared unknown details about casting Shahid Kapoor in his debut film Ishq Vishq. In a novel retelling of the story, Taurani expressed how he came across a young Shahid Kapoor, then going by his mother’s maiden name Khatter, in a music video and recognized his screen presence and innocence. Though impressed, Taurani suggested he wait a while before pursuing a film career due to his young age. Kapoor reportedly stayed in touch with the producer, passing on early opportunities to find the right launch.
A few years later, when developing Ishq Vishq, Taurani felt Kapoor was the perfect fit for one of the lead roles. What’s more, Taurani revealed he was unaware of Kapoor’s lineage to veteran actor Pankaj Kapur at the time, as he went solely by his mother’s surname in his early endeavors. Ishq Vishq went on to be a breakthrough debut for Kapoor, launching a successful Bollywood journey of over two decades.
