Ameesha Patel opens up on replacing Aishwarya Rai in 'Mangal Pandey'
Ameesha Patel revealed her 'Mangal Pandey' casting stemmed from an Aamir Khan interview and a near-miss with 'Lagaan'. Aamir was impressed by her intelligence, leading to a connection. Though she screen-tested for 'Lagaan', her 'educated' look led to her exit, ironically paving the way for her 'Gadar' role. The 'Mangal Pandey' role was previously offered to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
