Harry Potter: The $50M Bollywood Icon Who Refused to Audition for Dumbledore
As HBO forges ahead with a new Harry Potter series, a surprising bit of franchise lore has resurfaced: Bollywood legend Naseeruddin Shah was once approached to audition for Albus Dumbledore in the original films.
With Max cooking up a new Harry Potter series, an old what-if just resurfaced from the original films: a legit legend of Indian cinema says he was asked to try out for Dumbledore and passed. Yep, that almost happened.
Naseeruddin Shah was asked to audition for Dumbledore, then said no
During a Times of India Twitter Q&A (spotted by GQ India), Naseeruddin Shah said he was approached after Richard Harris passed away, when the franchise needed a new headmaster for Hogwarts.
'My agent wanted me to audition for Dumbledore's character after Richard Harris died. I was asked if I would like to audition for it. But I wouldn't audition for it.'
Shah had already dipped a toe in Hollywood around then (he played Captain Nemo in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), but he ultimately chose not to read for Dumbledore. The role, of course, went to Michael Gambon, who held it down for the next six movies.
Would he have gotten it anyway? Probably not, and here is why
Back in the early 2000s, the Potter films had a very specific casting approach: keep the ensemble British and Irish to maintain the setting's vibe. That guideline is why a global star like Robin Williams was reportedly turned down for Hagrid or Remus Lupin despite lobbying for a part (as recalled in interviews cited by GamesRadar). J.K. Rowling was also closely involved with the films at the time and very protective of the world feeling culturally accurate. Put all that together, and even if Shah had auditioned, the deck was stacked against any non-UK/Ireland actor.
About the new series
Max is developing a fresh, long-form Harry Potter adaptation. As of now, there is no official casting for Dumbledore (or anyone else). If you have seen chatter naming specific actors already locked in, including John Lithgow, that is not from an announced, confirmed cast list. We will see how the new version handles casting once the studio actually reveals it.
Who almost wore the half-moon spectacles before Gambon
Recasting Dumbledore after Richard Harris was a huge, sensitive decision. A handful of heavyweight names floated around before Gambon took over, including another wizard you might have heard of.
- Ian McKellen (already playing Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings)
- Peter O'Toole
- Christopher Lee
- Sean Connery
- Patrick McGoohan
Those names surfaced in reports at the time (MovieWeb rounded up several of them), but none of those conversations became reality. Gambon stepped in and made the role his own, Jude Law later played a younger version in the Fantastic Beasts films, and the character remains one of the franchise's defining figures.
Quick franchise context
For anyone keeping score: there are 7 books, 8 main Potter films (plus 3 Fantastic Beasts entries), all under Warner Bros. Pictures. Across those 11 movies, the Wizarding World has hauled in around $9.5 billion worldwide. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, and Ralph Fiennes are just a few of the names that made that run iconic.
Where to watch
The Harry Potter films are streaming in the US on Max.
So, in another timeline, Dumbledore might have been played by one of India's greatest actors. In this one, it became a fascinating near-miss that says a lot about how the franchise used to cast — and how the new series might chart its own path.