Farhan Akhtar‘s ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ completes 25 years on August 10. The film remains one of the most celebrated portrayals of friendship and young adulthood in Hindi cinema. Despite its 3-hr lengthy runtime, the film engages viewers from start till finish. However, one of its three central characters almost had a different fate. Saif Ali Khan had initially decided against playing Sameer. The actor was concerned about the character’s presence in the second half of the story. He felt the role did not have enough material. His decision changed after Dimple Kapadia encouraged him to reconsider. Javed Akhtar also assured Saif that the issue would be addressed.Saif Ali Khan initially rejected the role of Sameer in ‘Dil Chahta Hai’When Saif was offered the role, he was not immediately convinced. His main concern was the limited presence of Sameer in the latter portion of the film. He eventually opened up about the decision in a 2001 interview with journalist Neelufer Qureshi.“I had refused because my role was hardly there in the second half of the film. Dimple asked me to reconsider my decision. Javed (Akhtar) sahab assured me that they would look into the matter.”Saif eventually changed his mind and joined the cast. His decision would prove significant for his career.
Sameer became one of Saif Ali Khan’s most memorable roles
Sameer went on to become an important part of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’. The character’s relatively limited screen time did not stop him from becoming memorable. Saif later acknowledged that the experience changed the way he looked at roles. “I have realised that the length of a role does not matter. I signed the role just because of the two scenes in the restaurant and the car. I knew Sameer would not be forgotten. I worked very hard. Although I expected a response, I never thought I would get such an overwhelming response,” he said. The film gave Saif a new image at a crucial stage in his career. He had made his acting debut in the early 1990s. However, Farhan’s film showcased him in a different light.
‘Dil Chahta Hai’ transformed Saif Ali Khan’s career
‘Dil Chahta Hai’ featured Saif alongside Aamir Khan and Akshaye Khanna. The trio played close friends whose lives begin to move in different directions after college. The film also starred Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni and Dimple Kapadia. The response also surprised Saif. He received appreciation from people he had lost touch with. He described the feeling of receiving such recognition as being “like winning an Oscar”.
Saif Ali Khan had doubts about live sound
Saif was also unsure about another creative decision made by Farhan Akhtar. The director wanted the actors’ conversations to be recorded using live sound. This was different from the conventional dubbing process commonly followed in Hindi cinema.Saif initially believed the film should be dubbed. However, Farhan’s approach changed his mind after the actor heard a take. “I told Farhan, let’s just dub the film. Everyone in India is dubbing films. People are used to it. And then he played me a take. It was amazing. I remember Aamir smiling and asking, ‘Do you want to dub it?’ And I said, ‘No, we can never do that.’”
‘Dil Chahta Hai’ completes 25 years
Released in 2001, ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ follows Akash, Sameer and Siddharth after they leave college. Akash heads to Australia, while Sameer becomes caught up in his romantic life. Siddharth chooses to dedicate himself to art. Aamir played Akash, Saif portrayed Sameer and Akshaye played Siddharth. Their friendship and individual journeys formed the emotional core of the film. Twenty-five years later, the Farhan Akhtar directorial continues to hold a special place in Hindi cinema.
