Mumbai: Before Sunil Dutt played Birju, the rebellious young man-turned-bandit in "Mother India", it was Jagdeep who was supposed to star in the role, according to writer-filmmaker Rumi Jaffery.
Jaffery, who directed Jagdeep in two films "Life Partner" and "Gali Gali Chor Hai", recounted the anecdote which he heard from director Mehboob Khan's recordist Pandu Dada.
"Mehboob Khan's recordist Pandu dada had once told me, while I was working with him on 'Aa Ab Laut Chale' as a writer that when 'Mother India' was being made the role of Birju was earlier played by Jagdeep bhai. I was stunned when I heard this," Jaffery said.
Jagdeep even shot for the Nargis-starrer for a few days, but as director Mehboob Khan felt his intensity wasn't convincing enough, Dutt eventually landed the part in the 1957 film. "Later when I asked Jagdeep bhai about it he said he was not only offered the role, but he even shot for it for few days. But Mehboob Khan felt the anger wasn't coming on his face and then Sunil Dutt was cast,", the writer said. "No one would ever believe that Jagdeep bhai was earlier cast as Birju. I wanted to record this anecdote. Sadly, he isn't with us anymore," he said.
Best known for playing the iconic Soorma Bhopali in the 1975 blockbuster "Sholay", Jagdeep died on Wednesday at the age of 81. Jaffery, who first met the actor when he was shooting for his 1988 directorial "Soorma Bhopali", said his relationship with the actor was beyond work.
