Mahira Khan's role chopped in big Bollywood debut 'Raees'—Here's all you need to know

New Delhi: After Shah Rukh Khan announced a grand trailer release of his much-awaited action thriller 'Raees' on December 7th, here comes a sad news as well. The role of lead actress Mahira Khan, who is imported from the neighbouring country Pakistan for Rahul Dholakia's venture has been chopped off.

Sad, isn't it?

According to a report in Pinkvilla, the role of the Pakistani beauty has been chopped off to an extent in her big Bollywood debut. A romantic scene and a song featuring the Pak actress have been edited out of the movie.

The Pak actress shot her last in the cities of Bhuj, Ahmedabad and Mumbai in the country.

If reports are to be believed then SRK and Mahira are yet to shoot their opening scenes. But, the latest reports suggests that King Khan is busy shooting his introduction scene alone in Mumbai.

According to a source close to the development, initially Mahira had two songs in her kitty. But, post MNS's ban on Pak artistes, Mahira couldn't shoot her second song. A romantic scene between her and Shah Rukh has also been chopped off.

"Mahira is an attractive and popular Pak actress and 'Raees' is her big-ticket Bollywood launch. But while she does play Shah Rukh's love interest, it is not really a romantic film. Her role is like Parveen Babi's in Yash Chopra's 1975 crime-drama Deewaar. This one revolves around the conflict between Shah Rukh Khan who plays a bootlegger, Raees Alam, and ACP Ghulam Patel enacted by Nawaz (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) who is on his trail. So, it wasn't difficult to trim her role which has been done with the intention of not hurting public sentiment," the source was quoted as saying by Pinkvilla.

The movie is set in 1980s Gujarat and narrates the story of a bootlegger Raees Alam essayed by Shah Rukh Khan, whose business is thwarted by a police officer played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Produced by Gauri Khan, Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar under their banners Red Chillies Entertainment and Excel Entertainment, the film will hit the big screens on January 26, 2017!