Now the truth can be told. Kareena Kapoor Khan has turned down Siddharth Roy Kapur’s biopic Salute on cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma that would have pitched the actress opposite Shah Rukh Khan. But not because her attitude towards films has changed and she is in a new headspace and wants to do something different, as one media platform suggested. It’s also not because of the genre of the film and the role she was offered. The answer is closer home.

PeepingMoon.com brings you the real reason why Mrs. KKK turned down the wonderful opportunity to work with Mr. SRK again. The exciting jodi was last seen in Red Chillies Entertainment’s RA.One in 2011. They have done other blockbuster films opposite each other including Don (2006) and Asoka (2001). But Kareena had to turn down Siddharth’s handsome offer to play the cosmonaut’s wife in Salute because the biopic required her to go on an outdoor shoot to Russia for two months. And the actress, who is a young mother, refused to take so much time off from raising her one-and-half-year-old son Taimur.

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Salute has been jinxed from Day One. Aamir Khan was the first choice to play Rakesh Sharma. And Priyanka Chopra was reportedly in talks to play the role of the cosmonaut’s wife. Bollywood got excited at the possibility of this brand new pairing. But Aamir pulled out for unexplained reasons. And Siddharth sent feelers to Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor to play the role of the inspiring cosmonaut. But they showed no interest. Siddharth approached SRK next and the actor agreed. Then Priyanka subsequently denied any involvement with Salute and Siddharth approached Kareena for the female lead role. Now with Taimur taking her away from this big budget film, Siddharth is approaching other actresses.

 In April 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to fly into space. He was aboard the Soyuz T-11 as part of an Intercosmos programme. Siddharth’s biopic was to be titled Saare Jahaan Se Accha – which was Rakesh Sharma’s patriotic response to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when she asked him how India looked from outer space. But the title changed when Aamir came on board. The actor was to co-produce Salute with Siddharth’s newly launched banner RK Films and the film was to be directed by Mahesh Mathai.