Wait What?! Alia Bhatt ALMOST replaced Janhvi Kapoor in "Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari"? Director Shashank Khaitan Reveals The Casting Truth!
After gaining much praise for their chemistry in Bawaal, on-screen pair Janhvi Kapoor and Varun Dhawan paired up once again for the romantic comedy Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumaari. As much as we adored this couple giving us another hit, what if we were to tell you that Alia Bhatt was about to be part of this project instead?
Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan have done numerous projects together, namely Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Badrinath Nath Ki Dulhania, and Kalank. Their on-screen chemistry and off-screen easygoing camaraderie have delighted fans, with many hoping for years to see them reunite for another Bollywood project.
Before the release of Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, netizens were almost convinced that this newest romantic project was the third instalment of the Dulhania franchise, and that Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan would be the leads in this film. Director Shashank Khaitan, in a candid chat with Free Press Journal, cleared the air regarding this casting mixup.
“Alia was never offered this (Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari) film, and this film was never supposed to be Dulhania (franchise). It was always written as Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari. I know Alia, and at the time when I was writing the film, I was very aware that she was not free for the next 2-3 years because of her work schedules. So I, Varun, and Karan had been in touch with Alia on multiple other occasions, discussing different ideas, sometimes ideas to make a Dulhania, but this was never it. This was always Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, and I'm excited about it because it's also a bit of a different; it's pretty much in a similar universe, but it's a bit of a different film, and I'm excited about how people are going to pursue it or see it," Khaitaan remarked.
All these things aside, is there a tiny, minuscule chance that Alia and Varun will reunite on-screen for Dulhania 3? Well, here’s what Shashank has to say to that: “I think we keep discussing it (Dulhania 3), we are always looking at an opportunity, but I think it will only materialise when we are all excited about that opportunity in equal measure.”
About Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari
Produced by Dharma Productions, Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari is a romantic comedy starring Janhvi Kapoor and Varun Dhawan in the lead roles, and Sanya Malhotra and Rohit Saraf in secondary roles. It is directed by Shashank Khaitan and was released theatrically on October 2nd, 2025.