Shah Rukh Khan's Career Almost Belonged to Armaan Kohli; Now He's a Bigg Boss Alum

In the early 1990s, Bollywood was a battleground for fresh talent, with actors such as Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar fighting for the spotlight. One of the hopefuls was Armaan Kohli, son of filmmaker Rajkumar Kohli and actress Nishi. Armaan began as a child actor in his father’s movies—Badle Ki Agni (1982) and Raaj Tilak (1984)—before stepping into a leading role with Virodhi (1992). He followed that with a string of releases, including Dushman Zamana (1992), Anaam (1992) and Aulad Ke Dushman (1993), but the momentum never quite took hold.

While Armaan was being considered for the lead in the romantic drama Deewana, his father insisted that Virodhi be released first. The decision meant Armaan was dropped from the project, and the role went to a then‑unknown Shah Rukh Khan. Deewana became a runaway hit, catapulting Khan into stardom and setting the stage for a legendary career. In a 2015 interview, Armaan reflected on the missed opportunity, saying, “If we start thinking about the past and what we could’ve done, our life will be hell. So generally I don’t sit and regret… I wish I had thought that way. I would have been somewhere else, for sure. But, as I said, there is no regret.” He added, “If I lost Deewana, Mr Shah Rukh Khan got Deewana, and he’s the superstar of the country. I’m pretty okay with that.”

Shah Rukh Khan himself has acknowledged Armaan’s role in his rise. In a 2016 appearance on Yaaron Ki Baraat, he thanked Armaan for being on the original Deewana poster with late actress Divya Bharti and for “making me a star.” The actor still keeps the poster as a reminder of that pivotal moment.

Years later, Armaan resurfaced on television, joining the cast of Bigg Boss 7 hosted by Salman Khan. His stint was marked by a volatile temper, leading to an arrest after a complaint by Sofia Hayat for allegedly striking her with a mop. He was released on bail, but the incident added to his controversial public image. Armaan also attracted media attention for his relationship with actress Tanishaa Mukerji and was once again arrested on charges of illegal possession.

Today, Armaan Kohli remains a notable figure in Bollywood history, remembered both for the missed chance that shaped Shah Rukh Khan’s destiny and for his own tumultuous journey through film and reality television.