Long before Ranbir was cast as Lord Ram, Salman Khan was reportedly set to headline another ambitious adaptation of the Hindu epic, which was to be directed by his brother, Sohail Khan, in the 1990s. Media reports at the time claimed the film was shelved following controversy surrounding Sohail’s alleged relationship with actor Pooja Bhatt. However, the relationship reportedly failed to win the approval of Sohail’s family. Reports claimed that his father, veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, opposed the relationship and advised Sohail to end it. Reports further claimed that nearly 40 per cent of the film had already been completed before it was shelved.