Reena Roy Reveals She Wasn’t the First Choice for ‘Naagin’

July 5, 2026

Mumbai: Veteran actress Reena Roy has revealed that she was not the first choice for the iconic 1976 film ‘Naagin’, sharing that several leading actresses of the era had declined the role before it was offered to her.

Speaking on ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’, Reena Roy said the makers had initially approached top actresses, including Rekha and Asha Parekh, but they turned down the project.

‘All the Heroines Had Rejected Naagin’

Recalling the casting process, Reena Roy said, “All the heroines had rejected ‘Naagin’. They went to Rekha ji, they went to Asha Parekh, all the leading ladies of the time. Then they came to me since they knew I could dance well.”

She also shared that her mother was initially against her taking up the role, questioning why she wanted to portray a character who killed people. However, Reena believed the story was unique and decided to accept the film.

Film Became a Blockbuster

Directed by Rajkumar Kohli, Naagin featured a star-studded cast including Sunil Dutt, Feroz Khan, Jeetendra, Sanjay Khan, Rekha, Mumtaz, Vinod Mehra, Yogeeta Bali, Kabir Bedi, and Anil Dhawan.

The film went on to become the highest-grossing Hindi film of 1976, establishing Reena Roy as one of Bollywood’s leading stars. She also recalled that after the film’s success, many people were actually frightened of her because of her portrayal of the shape-shifting serpent.