Deepak Tijori Recalls Aamir Khan Asked For His Help After ‘Actors Walked Off’ Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar Set; Says, ‘The Film Was Almost Shut’
Deepak Tijori opened up about the time when Aamir Khan and others pleaded with him to take up the role of Shekhar after Milind Soman had walked off mid-shoot
Actor and filmmaker Deepak Tijori became a household during the 90s for his versatile performances in films. Having worked in classic films like Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Aashiqui, Sadak, Khiladi, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, and many others, he has built an extensive career of the years. He recently opened up about how he bagged the role of Shekhar in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. Speaking to Radio Nasha about the same, he recalled how initially, after auditioning for the role, he had been rejected and Milind Soman was casted.
However, months later he received the offer after the project had been stalled after Soman has “walked off” from the set. Mahesh Bhatt had given him a call to inform him that Aamir and Mansoor Khan has summoned him to Ooty for the shoot of the film. While he didn’t want to be disappointed again if things didn’t work out, Tijori decided to give the film a second chance.
Opening up about the same, quoted by the Indian Express, the 63-year-old actor said, “The film was almost shut, apparently. Around 75% of it had been done. Jo Jeeta was a movie I really wanted to do, and when I didn’t get it, I was very upset. But I moved on after some time. A few months later, we heard rumours that things had derailed in Ooty, and that actors had walked off the set. One day, Bhatt saab, who was shooting Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahi in Ooty, called me and said that I must go to the Jo Jeeta set because Aamir Khan and Mansoor Khan had asked for me.”
Deepak went on to add that he took up the role after making sure that Soman was aware that he was being replaced. He said, “I found out that the film was stalled. It wasn’t moving forward. I got to meet Nasir saab, who said, ‘Beta, aapko yeh karna hai‘, and I said, ‘Sir, aapne bol diya toh baat khatam hogayi‘. Bhatt saab, Aamir, and everyone had asked me to do it, so I was going to do it.”
Released in 1992, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar set Deepak Tijori and Aamir Khan’s career in motion. Co-starring Pooja Bedi, the film became of the loved films from the 90s.
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