Actor-writer Piyush Mishra revealed in an interview that he was offered Maine Pyar Kiya before Salman Khan. The 1989 romantic musical drama marked the debut of filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya and catapulted Salman Khan to stardom.
In an interview with The Lallantop, Mishra revealed,
“Woh haadsa tha, but I don’t regret. When I was studying in final year of NSD, few months were left for me to pass out. My director called me to his room. Now, I was a very haseen ladka, I was very handsome in my time. I had a German jaw and a Roman nose. When I went to the chamber, I was introduced to a gentleman, who was a big director, I won’t take his name, and he was launching his son as a director. He said they are making a film called Maine Pyaar Kiya, they have shortlisted the girl, now they have come to NSD to find the male lead."Piyush Mishra, Actor
“They were happy to see, asked me my name, when would I graduate from the institute. They asked me to come to Mumbai immediately after that and gave me their visiting card, asking me to come to their Prabhadevi office immediately. I said ok sure I will go. They liked my features too and took a photograph. Fifteen days later, the director (of NFDC) met me and told me that he got a call for me and asked me to immediately leave for Mumbai, even if it means to leave NSD midway," he added.
He opened up about his journey as well, stating, “I said I will go, but I didn’t. By then, dil mein badi khatas thi, pata nahi kyu duniya se nafrat ho gayi thi (I had started to hate the world). I went there three years later and learnt that Salman Khan was born with the film, and I thought that’s great. But if I had gone back then, I would not have been able to do the kind of work I did later. Everyone has their own journey, their destiny,”
Salman Khan and Bhagyashree starred in Maine Pyar Kiya and was a blockbuster upon its release. Khan and Barjatya have also worked together in Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Hum Saath-Saath Hain and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)