Actor Deepak Tijori shared a close professional bond with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and has worked with him in popular films like Aashiqui, Dil Chahta Hai and Sadak. In a recent interview, the actor spoke about the filmmaker’s mentorship and a memorable anecdote about the casting of Aashiqui.
In a conversation with Filmfare, when asked about the strictest and easiest directors he has worked with, Tijori immediately pointed to Mahesh Bhatt. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with a few directors and learned a great deal from them. One of them is Mahesh Bhatt – a name that always resonates. Working with him was like being in a school,” he said.
Addressing Bhatt’s reputation for being demanding, Tijori admitted that he was often pulled up on set, but never in a damaging way. “Oh, I’ve been scolded many times. But the way he scolds comes from a place of love. He is never abusive and never humiliates anyone. Whatever he says is actually out of care, though people often misunderstand it as being crude. It isn’t.”
Why Deepak Tijori chose supporting actor role in Aashiqui
TL;DR: Tijori then recalled a moment from the early days of Aashiqui, revealing how he chose to step aside and opt for a supporting role.
Tijori then recalled a moment from the early days of Aashiqui, revealing how he chose to step aside and opt for a supporting role. “When four of us were vying for Aashiqui role and all of us were struggling together, we would often sit together. There was Rahul, me, Raj Zutshi, and Akshay Anand. One day, all four of us were sitting on the sets of Daddy. Mahesh Bhatt told us, ‘I’m about to make a romantic film. You four decide among yourselves who will be the hero. I’ll be back after finishing my shot.’ At first, it felt like he was trying to pit us against each other, but that wasn’t the case.”
When Bhatt returned and asked what they had decided, Tijori chose honesty. “I told Bhatt sahab very clearly, ‘I know you won’t make me the hero because I’ve already done five or six bad films and small roles. Based on that, I know you won’t launch me, no one will. I’m fine doing a supporting role. Let the other three decide among themselves.’ That’s how you deal with him.”
When Mahesh Bhatt tried to cast Deepak Tijori as a lead
TL;DR: Despite this, Tijori revealed that the filmmaker later tried to break his image as a supporting actor.
Despite this, Tijori revealed that the filmmaker later tried to break his image as a supporting actor. “After a point, once I had done Sadak in a supporting role and Aashiqui as well, he himself thought of upgrading me and planned a film with me as the lead. He even intended to announce it publicly,” he said. However, industry perception proved to be a roadblock. “The entire industry had already labelled me as a supporting actor, and because of that, he couldn’t pull me out of that image.”
Deepak’s bond with Rahul Roy
TL;DR: Tijori also spoke warmly about his bond with Aashiqui co-star Rahul Roy.
Tijori also spoke warmly about his bond with Aashiqui co-star Rahul Roy. “Rahul and I became close because he wasn’t really an industry insider, and Bhatt sahab knew that I had struggled and spent four to five years finding my footing in the industry. He gave me the responsibility of guiding him, teaching him, correcting him, and helping him prepare.”
That responsibility soon turned into a lifelong bond. “I cared for him like a brother back then, and even today, I love him just as much and look after him. Wherever we go together, I make sure to take care of him,” Tijori said.
Rahul Roy and Deepak Tijori’s fees for Aashiqui
TL;DR: In an earlier interview with Bollywood Hungama, Deepak Tijori had revealed that he was paid Rs 20,000 for his role in Aashiqui.
In an earlier interview with Bollywood Hungama, Deepak Tijori had revealed that he was paid Rs 20,000 for his role in Aashiqui. Speaking about the remuneration, he said, “I was paid Rs 20,000. It was the flat fee for all of us, including me and Rahul. There was no scope of negotiation, what we got was more than enough. Mukesh ji has always been like that.”
Deepak’s scene was trimmed in Aashiqui
TL;DR: In the same interview, Tijori also shared an interesting behind-the-scenes story about one of his scenes being trimmed.
In the same interview, Tijori also shared an interesting behind-the-scenes story about one of his scenes being trimmed.
“When the film was being edited, we used to hang around and watch the process. There was a really emotional scene with me and Rahul. It was almost two minutes long. Bhatt saab initially had it in the first half, but then he moved it to the second half. Then he asked for it to be trimmed. Ultimately, it was cut down to 45 seconds. As actors, we’re greedy for screen time. But what could we say. Then, one day, Bhatt saab asked for the scene to be removed entirely.”
Tijori said he eventually asked Mahesh Bhatt why the scene was trimmed and the filmmaker responded candidly, saying, “I tried, you saw, didn’t you? But if you perform better than my hero, the scene can’t be in the film. My hero is my hero. People have to love my hero for the film to be a hit.”
Released in 1990, Aashiqui went on to become a massive blockbuster, turning Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal into overnight stars. The film later had a spiritual sequel in 2013, Aashiqui 2, starring Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, which also enjoyed major commercial success.
Curated by Aisha Patel
