Media365
4 min readNew DelhiSep 29, 2026 10:00 PM IST
Singer Alisha Chinai has revealed that she was once in the running to play the female lead opposite Aamir Khan in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, but decided against pursuing the role after an audition left her convinced that acting was not for her.
Speaking to trade analyst Komal Nahta on his podcast Game Changers: The Music Series, Alisha recalled how she initially wanted to pursue acting alongside singing. She said Aamir rehearsed the dialogues with her during the audition for the 1988 film, which eventually starred Aamir and Juhi Chawla.
“Apart from singing, I also wanted to be an actress. This is a story only Aamir and I know. It was for Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. I went for an audition, and he rehearsed the dialogues with me. I sort of went home and said, ‘Yaar, main toh cue pe ro nahi sakti.’ I find the whole acting scene in Bollywood movies very contrived. There is no realism,” she said.
Alisha Chinai said the audition made her realise that she would not be comfortable pursuing acting. She eventually decided not to appear for the final round.
“I didn’t like that whole style and felt that I would be uncomfortable as an actress. I said to myself, ‘No, you are just a good singer; forget this acting thing.’ So, I didn’t go for the final audition. There were only two people – me and Juhi. He (Aamir) was quite upset that I didn’t go, and then he was quite pleased that I had realised it was a big mistake.”
Alisha also recalled meeting Aamir after the incident and joked about what she imagined he might have thought of her decision.
“I just met Aamir once after that, and we simply smiled at each other. At least he smiled. I thought he would look at me and be like, ‘Stupid woman’”, she added.
Story continues below this ad
ALSO READ: Remember Rob from MAD? He left TV, moved to Goa, now earns more than ever from art
Why Alisha Chinai skipped the final audition
Alisha Chinai also explained that she was not feeling well on the day of the final audition for Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and, more importantly, had already convinced herself that acting was not for her. She recalled how she felt about skipping the final audition.
“Everyone thinks I am very difficult anyways. Aamir would have said, ‘What happened to her? She is crazy,’ but it’s just that I felt I wouldn’t fit in. I had a fever also that day, but I just felt like it was not my scene. I don’t want to go.”
Despite the missed opportunity, Alisha said she has no regrets about pursuing music instead. She joked that walking away from the film may have been a “monumental mistake”, but singing ultimately proved to be her forte.
Story continues below this ad
About Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak
Released in 1988, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, directed by Mansoor Khan and produced by Nasir Hussain, starred Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla in the lead roles. The romantic drama became a major breakthrough for the two newcomers and helped establish them as leading stars.
Interestingly, Juhi has also spoken in the past about Aamir helping her prepare for the film’s audition. She recalled that he was assigned to help her learn her lines and rehearse the scenes for the screen test at Nasir Hussain’s home.
Alisha Chinai’s singing career
Alisha Chinai went on to build a successful career in playback and pop music, becoming one of the defining voices of the Indipop era. Her 1995 album Made In India, created with Biddu, became a major milestone in her career, while songs such as “Kajra Re”, “Ruk Ruk Ruk” and “Tinka Tinka” further established her as a prominent Bollywood singer.
