“Dear Shah Rukh Khan, You Announced To Play Eunuch In My Film, But Never Seem To Want…,” When Kalpana Lajmi Threw SRK Out Of Her Film In An Open Letter After Getting Tricked
Shah Rukh Khan announced elatedly to play a eunuch in Kalpana Lajmi's film but kept her waiting strategically till she blasted him!
Shah Rukh Khan Was Supposed To Play Eunuch In A Film ( Photo Credit – Facebook )
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Shah Rukh Khan is one of the busiest and the biggest superstars in the country. The actor turned the King of Romance with Yash Chopra‘s DDLJ. Before that, from 1993 – 95, he was also experimenting with his anti-hero. During this time, he was very excited after he got an offer to play a eunuch in a film. In fact, he was so elated that he announced the same in every interview.
The film was titled Darmiyaan, and Shah Rukh Khan was supposed to play the lead role of an eunuch. The project was helmed by Kalpana Lajmi. However, despite SRK announcing the film and confirming it in most of his interviews, it was never bankrolled.
Kalpana Lajmi patiently waited since SRK was the biggest superstar in the country. But then, despite efforts to connect to the superstar for a narration, she could not get through to him and finally realized that she was being tricked and dodged. However, the late director decided to call out the superstar in an open letter that was published in November 1995’s issue of Filmfare.
The title of this letter was fiery enough that said, ‘Parting Shot.’ In the letter, Kalpana Lajmi called out Shah Rukh Khan and his then-secretary for keeping her waiting and finally giving her the most improper and illogical date. The letter started as, “My dear Shah Rukh, It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing this letter to you. Since March 95, you have, in every magazine and newspaper, announced with pride and consent to play the lead role of a eunuch in my film Darmiyan, and in turn, I have always expressed my gratitude to you both in public and privately about it. But on the work front, you have made no attempt to progress in the matter, to date, with me either in person or through your secretary, Anwar.”
Calling SRK and his secretary unprofessional, the director condoned the superstar’s secretary’s behavior to keep her waiting instead of sorting the issue and blasted, “Over six months, there has been not one occasion when he has cooperated in arranging any constructive meeting for us both to progress on the film. The sole meeting we had at your residence on July 9, 195, when you heard only a quarter of the narration, was arranged by Kirron Kher.”
In the letter, Kalpana explained how Shah Rukh Khan and his secretary had unreasonably been allotting her days per month for a year. Moreover, the date was promised from the end of December 1997 to 1998. However, Kalpana already had plans for the film, which she wanted to submit to the National Awards and later to Cannes. She requested for dates 20 days a month from March 96 to September 96, but SRK and his team did not budge. The director even justified how her budget for the film won’t stand worthy after two years amidst growing inflation. And she finally decided to put her foot down and part her ways with the Jawan superstar.
But Kalpana’s parting words in the letter were brutal yet honest. She wrote, “It is extremely sad that I will lose a fine actor like you. With your presence, the reach of my film would have been far greater than what it will be without an actor like you. But what is of prime importance is that I can make the film the way I have conceived it and shall try to complete it in time. This letter to you is because you never seem to want to meet me or come on the phone whenever I call. I do hope someday in the future, we can work together on a film. That would make me very happy. All the best to you in time. Kalpana Lajmi”
Hope we could have seen Shah Rukh Khan in such a challenging role and how he would have nailed it. But as they say, films are indeed destined for an actor!
