Deepak Tijori is a multifaceted personality. From being the ‘Chocolate boy’ of the silver screen to an accomplished director, he has done it all. The man who stole the spotlight in ‘Aashiqui’ and the iconic villain in ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’, actor-director Deepak Tijori has been an irreplaceable talent in showbiz. He is the perfect example of someone who has been a part of our lives without us even realizing it.
With his debut film, “Aashiqui” (1990) he captured the hearts of millions. In this movie, Deepak’s sleek greeting style caught on with the youth. His hand gesture was imitated everywhere, from schools to colleges, and it became a national signature style. After 32 years since the release of the movie, Deepak has now revealed the intriguing backstory of this well-liked trend in an interview with Jay-Ho! The Jay Kumar Show.
Speaking to host Jay Kumar, Deepak stated, “In the movie Aashiqui, director Mahesh Bhatt told me to wave my hand as a greeting, but I proposed that I will do something else. Bhatt Saab approved, so I carried it out. Everyone was at ease with it. A surprising statistic is that, before the movie’s premiere, 90 percent of seniors told that my action was juvenile and would harm the film. However, Bhatt Saab did not pay attention to anyone and kept it in the film.”
“After the movie was out, Bhatt Saab’s chief assistant director, who is now a director, went to see the movie at the theater and informed him that the college students had gone crazy over my hand gesture. Following that, Bhatt Saab contacted me and told me about the popularity of my hand gesture. He told me how people had reacted to my style. So, this is how blockbusters are made. Nothing is predicted or calculated beforehand. Believe in your work. Also, not a big film, but you can tell how popular Kashmir Files is. Therefore, no one can predict what the outcome will be; all you can do is complete your task honestly.”
Why did Deepak switch from acting to directing?
According to Deepak, it doesn’t matter if you are successful or not; what matters is the quality of your job, which should represent your identity. Deepak also discussed his transition from acting to directing. He adds, “I shifted to filmmaking because I realized that I was only being cast in minor roles in the movies. I wished to go easy on myself. I subsequently made the decision to start producing my own content for television. There were stories like silent suspense and thrillers at the time. I liked them at the time. Two years consecutively I got the award for best thriller maker. However, after a while, saas bahu took over, and all of a sudden, people started expecting me to do that, which I could not do.
“Then I made my first film as a filmmaker. The film was ‘Oops’. A very unconventional movie. So, after that I have been making films. And as I said, hit or flop is not something I look into. I have always managed to keep that benchmark that people who see my film should not be questioning my craft.”
The prediction for daughter Samara
There were many more amusing tidbits from the actor’s life divulged throughout the conversation between Jay and Deepak. He shared the fascinating prediction he had made for his daughter Samara Tijori. He shared his thoughts on nepotism and being typecast. Visit Jay-Ho! The Jay Kumar Show on YouTube to learn more about Deepak Tijori’s life and his forthcoming projects. If you are a fan of Deepak Tijori, you will be ecstatic to hear about the insightful details.
