“Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar”, one of Bollywood’s most iconic films, is remembered for its perfect blend of romance, friendship and sports drama. However, few people know that the film faced significant challenges during production, with major portions being reshot due to cast changes and other behind-the-scenes issues.
Actor and director Deven Bhojani recently opened up about the chaos on an episode of a YouTube podcast, shedding light on the production troubles that almost derailed the film.
Deven Bhojani revealed that during the making of the film, he transitioned from an actor to an assistant director. Initially, Farah Khan was the assistant director but her career took off in choreography which resulted in Bhojani stepping into the role. This change occurred after nearly 40-50% of the film had already been shot, prompting the crew to reshoot significant portions.
Deven detailed how several actors were replaced after a month and a half of shooting in Ooty and Kodaikanal. For instance, Milind Soman originally played the role of Shekhar Malhotra (eventually portrayed by Deepak Tijori), while Karishma Pahuja and Girija were cast in the roles played by Pooja Bedi and Ayesha Jhulka, respectively. The reasons for these replacements varied, with some actors dealing with attitude problems, others struggling with punctuality and some not clicking with the team.
Deven Bhojani remarked that everyone had different reasons — tantrums, lack of tuning or trouble waking up on time. This turmoil led to the decision to reshoot much of the film with a new cast, ensuring the project remained on track.
Deven, who had been involved in the film from the start, joined the production as an assistant director after Aamir Khan encouraged him. He was paid additional Rs 1000 per month for his new role. After the release of “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar”, Deven Bhojani began receiving more acting offers, though most were in supporting roles, similar to his part in the film. He went on to appear in 20 to 25 films playing the same types of characters as the hero’s friend.
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Earlier reports also mentioned that Akshay Kumar was initially considered for the role of Shekhar Malhotra; however, he did not impress the casting team during auditions. After Akshay was dropped, Milind Soman was cast but was later replaced by Deepak Tijori who ultimately played the character in the film.
Directed by Mansoor Khan, “Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar” went on to become a classic, with performances from Aamir Khan, Ayesha Jhulka, Mamik Singh, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Pooja Bedi cementing its place in Bollywood history.
