It’s been 30 years since Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) hit the screens, and actor Parmeet Sethi finds himself still affectionately known as Kuljeet Singh, the character he portrayed in the iconic film. Sethi, now 58, shared his mixed feelings about this enduring association. “Wherever I go, be it Delhi, UP, Punjab, London, Canada… They all know me as Kuljeet. My real name hardly anybody knows. And that is something which sometimes feels good, sometimes feels bad. You should know my real name by now. I have also spent 30 years in the industry. But yeah, it is an honour,” Sethi told PTI.
Sethi made his debut in the 1995 blockbuster, which continues to be screened in Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir theatre. DDLJ, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, captured the essence of romance against the backdrop of joint families, neighbours, and friends, becoming a cultural phenomenon.
His role as Kuljeet Singh, arguably the film’s antagonist, is fondly remembered by audiences as part of the beloved ensemble cast.
Sethi, who was only 28 when he starred in the film, recalled fighting for the role in what was Aditya Chopra’s directorial debut. He was drawn to the opportunity of working with Yash Raj Films, the country’s biggest production house, and the son of the legendary Yash Chopra.
“I don’t think there can be anything bigger than this for a debutant. It is such a privilege and honour. It feels just like a miracle that has happened… Today, when I saw it, I felt blessed that in the very first film you were a part of the greatest film. As long as this film is known, my name will be associated with it,” Sethi expressed.
Reflecting on his co-stars, Sethi shared that Shah Rukh Khan, already a star at the time, made him feel comfortable on set. “He made me completely comfortable in front of the camera. Whenever we did any scenes together… he never said, ‘Let’s do another take or let’s move on’. He always asked me, ‘Parmeet, is it okay?’ Till I gave my best, he kept going on. He is a very confident and a very giving actor. I realised this when I worked with him.”
Although his interactions with Kajol were limited due to fewer scenes together, Sethi remembers her as a “giddy-headed, beautiful soul, very naughty.” He added, “But I didn’t have much interaction with her very frankly because we didn’t have too many scenes. But whatever I experienced with her on set was very sweet and nice. Again a happy actor, very giving and honest about the craft.”
Sethi also shared a memorable experience of sharing a vanity van with the late Amrish Puri, describing the veteran actor’s dedication to his craft. “I was sharing the vanity van with him. So a vanity van is a room, an actor gets two rooms in a vanity van. He got one room and I got the other,” Sethi recalled. He observed Puri constantly rehearsing his lines, even when they didn’t have shots scheduled. “When I saw him do the shot, I thought to myself, ‘This is the way a person becomes a good, no, a great actor. Because he was so focused on what he had to do, everything was okay in the first take. I learnt a lot that day.”
Sethi also fondly remembered the grand lunches hosted by producer Yash Chopra and his wife, Pam, during the shoot. “When it was lunchtime, Pam ji , his wife, and Yash ji would be there hosting a party for us. Their food would come from home, sometimes lasagna, sometimes chicken biryani, sometimes something else. There used to be a spread… and they used to have a mini party every lunchtime.”
Looking back, Sethi acknowledged that no one anticipated DDLJ’s monumental success and its lasting impact. “Nobody says that I will make the greatest film… That greatness is made later. When it starts resonating, some things the youth like, some things old people like, there is something in the story which attracts them and becomes a part of their life,” he stated.
Ultimately, Sethi credits the film for opening many doors and bringing numerous opportunities his way as an artist and actor.