In a historical anecdote regarding the intersection of South Asian cinema and sports, the late Indian actor and director Dev Anand revealed that he had once attempted to cast Imran Khan in his film 'Awwal Number'. The movie, which centers on the sport of cricket, was released in 1990 and eventually starred Dev Anand himself alongside Aditya Pancholi and Mamta Kulkarni.

According to reports, Dev Anand met with Khan during the height of the cricketer's fame. Anand was reportedly convinced that Khan possessed the charisma and screen presence necessary to achieve the same level of stardom as Amitabh Bachchan, often referred to as 'Big B' in Indian media. Anand expressed his belief that Khan could transition from the cricket pitch to the silver screen, predicting he would become the next major icon of the industry. However, Imran Khan ultimately turned down the offer, choosing to remain focused on his career in sports and, later, his eventual transition into politics. The film 'Awwal Number' proceeded with a different cast, and while it remains a notable entry in Anand's filmography due to its sports-centric theme, the collaboration between the two figures never materialized.