Chitrangda Singh opens up on missing ‘Chalte Chalte’, ‘Tanu Weds Manu’: Was going through my emotional ups and downs

Actor Chitrangda Singh has candidly spoken about the ups and downs in her career, reflecting on the significant films she missed out on during personal sabbaticals.

In a recent interview with Indian Express, she revealed that roles in high-profile films such as ‘Chalte Chalte’, ‘Gangster’, and ‘Tanu Weds Manu’ had once been within reach, but life circumstances led her away from them.

Chitrangda reveals on missing out on important projects like ‘Chalte Chalte’

Reflecting on her time away from the screen, Chitrangda said, “The first seven years of break were because of my personal life, my commitment to that, and I had a son. I came back, and then I took another two-year break because I was going through a rough patch in my personal life again."

She continued, "In between that also I did not have the kind of work that I was looking for coming my way, so I decided to not be around because I was also going through my emotional ups and downs and I didn’t want to do stuff that I won’t be happy doing. So there was a rollercoaster of life going on. So yes, I did not do as much work as I probably would have wanted to do.”

During these phases, she ended up losing out on films that went on to become cult favourites. “I have made those mistakes. I said no to Anurag Basu’s ‘Gangster’. I refused ‘Tanu Weds Manu’. In ‘Mangal Pandey’, I said no to the role that Ameesha Patel played. There was one more that I am forgetting, and then there was ‘Chalte Chalte’ that starred Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, which I wasn’t around for at all," said the ‘Housefull 5’ actor.

"They had run into some trouble and wanted to desperately cast someone. SRK had told me this. Saeed Mirza had loved my work, and they were looking for me. Juhi Chawla’s brother Bobby was looking for my number. I had worked with SRK on an ad film when he had told me all this,” said Chitrangda.

The actress' revelations offer a glimpse into the many opportunities that pass by actors due to timing and personal battles, reminding us of the fragile balance between career and life in the film industry.

On the professional front, she has another commercial film lined up and is set to announce a new project in September 2025.