Parmeet Sethi, who famously portrayed Kuljeet in the beloved Bollywood blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), has opened up about the intense struggle he faced to land the role. Sethi shared in an interview that director Aditya Chopra initially had reservations about casting him as the antagonist.
Recounting the experience, Sethi revealed, “I had to fight for this role.” He mentioned that after an initial meeting with Chopra, he saw a newspaper announcement stating that another actor had been cast as Kuljeet. Sethi admitted to feeling “completely devastated” by this news, as he strongly felt the role was meant for him.
Chopra had apparently expressed concerns about Sethi’s perceived positive demeanor not suiting a negative character. However, Sethi persisted and requested a screen test. He was given four key scenes to prepare and, with some creative liberty, infused his performance with a more Punjabi essence, even getting help with specific phrases from Archana Puran Singh. After testing both with and without the camera, Chopra finally declared Sethi as his Kuljeet, a moment of immense relief and joy for the actor.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which is set to mark its 30th anniversary on October 20, was a directorial debut for Aditya Chopra and a massive success upon its release in 1995. The film, produced by Yash Chopra, features a star-studded cast including Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Anupam Kher.