Imran Khan Reveals Why He Turned Down Chennai Express — And How That Choice Shaped His Career

As he makes a quiet return to acting after a long break, Imran Khan looks back on missed opportunities, creative honesty, and the films that almost changed his destiny.

Sometimes, the most fascinating Bollywood stories are not about blockbusters that were made, but about the ones that never happened. Actor Imran Khan, who recently returned to the screen after nearly a decade away from films, has opened up about a major turning point early in his career — turning down Rohit Shetty’s Chennai Express. At the time, Imran was riding high on the massive success of Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Naa and was being approached for big commercial projects.

Despite multiple discussions with Rohit Shetty and finding the narration genuinely entertaining, Imran felt a creative mismatch. He candidly admitted that the tone, scale, and comic rhythm of the film didn’t align with his strengths as an actor, and both he and the director mutually decided not to move forward. In hindsight, Imran believes Shah Rukh Khan was the perfect choice for the role and that he could never have matched the superstar’s screen presence and mass appeal.

Released in 2013, Chennai Express went on to become one of the biggest box office successes of the decade, blending slapstick humour, romance, action, and Rohit Shetty’s signature larger-than-life spectacle. The film crossed major global box office milestones and strengthened the Shah Rukh Khan–Deepika Padukone pairing as a crowd favourite. Imran also reflected on other near-misses in his career, including auditioning for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi 6, where the makers ultimately opted for a more established star, and being initially attached to Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, a project that later moved ahead with another actor due to changing market dynamics and box office considerations.

Rather than expressing regret, Imran views these moments as part of the unpredictable nature of the film industry, where timing, perception, and commercial realities often matter as much as talent.

Now easing back into the industry with renewed perspective, Imran has shared that he is no longer driven by box office pressure or stardom, but by meaningful storytelling and creative satisfaction. He has expressed interest in collaborating with filmmakers known for grounded, emotionally rich narratives, signalling a more selective and mature phase of his career. Looking back, his decision to walk away from Chennai Express reflects a rare sense of self-awareness — choosing honesty over hype, even when a blockbuster was on the table.