Aasif Sheikh: Gulshan Grover was signed for my role in Karan Arjun
Aasif Sheikh is on cloud nine as his 1995 hit, Karan Arjun, is set to be re-released on November 22
Aasif Sheikh is on cloud nine as his 1995 hit, Karan Arjun, is set to be re-released on November 22. All for the concept of old films hitting the screens again, the actor feels it has given a fresh lease of life to Indian cinema: “It’s heartening to relive an era. It’s thrilling to watch yourself again on screen and that too from a time when you didn’t even know where life was heading. Now, I would be watching the movie with my grown-up son. It’s so exciting and overwhelming.”
Sheikh played Suraj Singh in the Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan-starrer and his catchphrase ‘what a joke’ earned cult status. Sharing how the film provided an impetus to his career, he tells us, “I started my career as a hero, but there wasn’t much work for a few years. Karan Arjun revived my career. I remember meeting (director) Rakesh Roshan ji and asking for some role. He told me, ‘The cast has been locked, so maybe next time’.”
Sharing how he bagged the role, the actor recalls, “A huge set was installed for the shoot and usko dekh ke I thought kash main bhi hota iss film mein. Gulshan Grover (actor) was signed to play my character, but they eventually offered it to me. Universe planned it such that for some reason, Gulshan couldn’t do it. Rakesh ji called me and said: ‘If you have some footage of a negative role, do send’.
"Thankfully, I played an antagonist in Ishq Mein Jeena Ishq Mein Marna (1994) and could arrange a footage from it. The rest is history,” concludes Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai actor.