INSIDE STORY: Why Jayaram Rejected Mani Ratnam's Thalapathi?

Jayaram, the family hero of Mollywood, recently revealed his connection with the Mani Ratnam directed classic movie, Thalapathi. Shockingly, Jayaram rejected the opportunity to be a part of Thalapathi star cast.

He was the initial choice for the role Arjun, the younger brother of Suriya, played by superstar Rajinikanth. It was Mammootty, one of the lead actors of the movie, who suggested Jayaram to Mani Ratnam.

The director, who felt that Jayaram is perfect for the role, approached the actor. But sadly, Jayaram couldn't accept the offer, as he was extremely busy with the filming of some Malayalam movies.

Later, the team went on to cast Arvind Swamy, who was a small-time model, in the role. Arvind delivered a brilliant performance as Arjun, and later emerged as one of the most sought-after actors of Tamil cinema.

Jayaram has rejected many other roles in his career which turned out to be popular later. The Siddique-Lal directed classic comedy movie, Ramji Rao Speaking was initially planned with Jayaram and Mukesh in the lead roles.

But the actor, who thought that being a part of a multi-starrer will badly affect his career, rejected the offer. Instead, the team went on to cast newcomer Saikumar in the role and the rest is history.