ˈeɪʃwɛɹɪɚ ɹˈaɪ wʌz ˈɔfɚd ðə fˈiːmeɪl lˈiːd ɹˈoʊl ˈæftɚ ðə səksˈɛs ʌv hɜː pɹˈiːviəs tˈæmɪl fˈɪlm, dʒˈiːnz, bˌʌt hɜː bˈɪzi skˈɛdʒuːl ɪn hˈɪndi fˈɪlmz ænd hɜː dᵻsˈɪʒən tə pɹaɪˈɔːɹɪtˌaɪz hɜː wˈɜːk ɪn kˌændʒuːkəndˈeɪn kˌændʒuːkəndˈeɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd, ɹɪzˈʌltᵻd ɪn sˈɪmɹən ᵻvˈɛntʃuːəli bˌiːɪŋ kˈæst ɪnðə ɹˈoʊl.
Aishwarya Rai was offered the female lead role after the success of her previous Tamil film, Jeans, but her busy schedule in Hindi films and her decision to prioritise her work in Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), resulted in Simran eventually being cast in the role.