Anaita Shroff Adajania on playing Kajol’s friend Sheena in DDLJ: ‘I did it for a laugh and a paid holiday to Europe’

Bollywood costume designer and stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania talks about playing Kajol’s friend Sheena in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and how she was cast in the film.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has completed 25 years of its release on Tuesday and the entire cast and crew of the film are happy to reminisce fond memories of the making of the film. Among them is Bollywood stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania, who had played the role of Kajol’s friend Sheena in the film. She has now shared a boomerang video and a few stills to remind her fans of her pivotal role along with precious anecdotes about the cult classic.

Anaita Shroff Adajania in stills from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

Anaita (Sheena) was one of Simran’s (Kajol) friends who had accompanied her on a trip around Europe and had also flirted with Shah Rukh Khan’s Rahul during the club scene. Talking about how she landed the role, she wrote on Instagram, “I was in college when Adi (Aditya Chopra) and Karan (Johar) asked me to help them cast my college friends to play Raj and Simran’s friends in the film. This was my introduction to the film industry- a world I knew nothing about at the time. In the process they convinced me into playing Sheena. I did it for a laugh and a paid holiday to Europe with my bestie, which was a really big deal for a broke student.”

Just like all Shah Rukh Khan fans, even Anaita was blown away by him on spotting him on the film set. She continued, “I remember reaching Saanen, a small town in Switzerland , fresh off the bus ( ok plane) and seeing Shahrukh in his black suit on a little bridge ...and for me I felt that he was there only for me! I’m sure whoever saw him on that bridge felt the same way - that’s why he’s Shahrukh. Kajol was just Kajol - real, instinctive, full of love (and still gives the tightest hugs ever).”

Anaita also mentioned how filmmaking was a different business altogether 25 years ago, much in contrast with how films are made today. She said, “You have to remember that these were times when they were no entourages, no managers and mobiles, no social media...film making was much simpler, but extremely passionate. Once we were there, we were cut off from the rest of the world for over a month. We would all live together, eat together, sing together, dance together... we become a real family, under the warm gaze of a legend like Yash uncle (Yash Chopra). Adi knew DDLJ from his core, and strove for nothing less than perfection. We all hung out and helped each other in ways only close knit friends and families do.”

The film costume designer has also appeared in Shah Rukh Khan’s another film, Kal Ho Naa Ho in 2003 in which she played the role of Saif Ali Khan’s friend Gita. While she is happy to not have pursued any more acting, she ended her Instagram post saying, “Never having any acting ambitions( thankfully), I’m so glad that I was part of this brilliant film and that I can still call everyone that I worked with a friend. I’m so happy to have been a tiny part of this massive legacy. #DDLJ25 #25yearsofDDLJ @yrf #adityachopra.”

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