Latest news with #Darr
India.com
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Not Shah Rukh Khan, this actor was first choice of Yash Chopra for Darr, rejected the role due to..., name is...
Not Shah Rukh Khan, this Border actor was first choice of Yash Chopra for Darr, rejected the role due to..., name is... Sudesh Berry was one of the most prominent actors in the entertainment industry. He began his career with BR Chopra's mythology television show Mahabharat , portraying the role of Vichitravirya. Following that, he bagged many projects for small screen and later ventured into Bollywood, appearing in supporting roles in a couple of films. Sudesh Berry was first choice for SRK's role in Darr In a 2014 interview with Times of India, Berry revealed that he was extremely selective about the work he did. Moreover, he claimed to have turned down nearly 200 films over the course of his acting career. One of the big banner films that Sudesh Berry rejected was of Yash Chopra's Darr. He screen tested for the role of antagonist, but wasn't finalised. Some reports said that director Yash Chopra rejected him, others claim that he wasn't okay to portray the negative role. Eventually Shah Rukh Khan bagged the film, and rose to superstardom after his intense performance in the romantic psychological thriller. Sudesh Berry on not being the part of Darr In an interview with Times of India (TOI), Sudesh Berry revealed that he does not regret not being cast in Darr. Instead, he was happy and satisfied with the slow growth of his career. He said, 'I have worked with Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan and many other actors, but I think my outlook towards life is that of a tortoise. Shah Rukh ran like a rabbit and achieved huge success, but today, I am happy with what I have. The producers of Darr wanted to cast me in the same role that Shah Rukh Khan played, but for some reason, I did not do the film. I am a firm believer in destiny and I think only God can plan your life. That's why I take life as it is.' In 1997, Sudesh gave a memorable performance in Border , opposite Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff and others. He then transitioned to television shows and appeared in couple of them such as Suraag, Amber Dhara, Siya Ke Ram, and Muskan . He continue to work in films, captivating audiences with his impeccable work on-screens.
News18
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
A 10-Second Role As Sridevi's Husband Ended This Supermodel's Bollywood Dreams
Last Updated: Supermodel Deepak Malhotra's promising Bollywood debut with Yash Chopra turned sour due to harsh criticism for his role in 'Lamhe', leading him to leave films and start anew abroad For any artist, their first screen appearance can make or break their career. While some rise from modest starts, others get a spectacular break that launches them into fame. Yet, even a grand debut doesn't guarantee success if luck isn't on one's side. Who Is Deepak Malhotra? Deepak Malhotra, a top supermodel in the 1980s, was known for his striking looks that rivalled leading actors. Born in Bangalore, Karnataka, in 1964, he was a national-level gymnast before turning to modelling, becoming India's highest-paid model by the late 80s. His good fortune caught the eye of legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra, who cast him in the 1991 film Lamhe alongside Sridevi. The 10-Second Scene That Halted A Promising Career In the film, Sridevi portrayed the character of Pallavi Bhatnagar, while Deepak Malhotra played her husband, Siddharth Kumar Bhatnagar. In a brief 10-second scene, Pallavi faints, and Siddharth, attempting to revive her, caresses her cheek in a moment meant to convey affection. However, the audience found the gesture awkward and stiff, sparking heavy criticism and ridicule. The scene became infamous, even inspiring memes that continue to circulate today. What was meant to be Deepak's big break turned into a major setback. The backlash from that single scene not only damaged his public image but also derailed his budding acting career. Lost Chances And Career Decline Deepak's decision to take a side role in Lamhe instead of a lead in Rajiv Mehra's Chamatkar (1992), which later starred Shah Rukh Khan, cost him dearly. Criticism from Lamhe led Yash Chopra to cast Sunny Deol in Darr (1993) instead of Deepak, causing him to miss several big projects. What once seemed like a promising rivalry with stars like Shah Rukh and Aamir Khan ended abruptly as film offers dried up. Where Is Deepak Malhotra Now? Disheartened by the setbacks, Deepak relocated to the USA, changed his name to Dino Martelli, and returned to modelling. He also pursued studies in engineering and design, entering the garment business. Now based in New York, USA, he is married to supermodel and choreographer Lubna Adam, and their two sons have followed in the fashion world. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Supermodel who made his debut with Sridevi and played her husband, left Bollywood and changed his name, here's why
Deepak Malhotra's Bollywood debut had all the makings of a fairytale — a launch under the legendary banner, sharing screen space with the iconic , and stepping in as the romantic lead in Lamhe (1991), a film that was considered far ahead of its time. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, what should have been a launchpad for stardom turned into a career-defining misstep, all because of a single scene — and one infamous word: 'Pallo. ' Before venturing into films, Deepak was a force in the fashion world. Born in Bangalore in 1964, he was a national-level gymnast and a graduate of Christ University (1982–85). His athletic physique caught the attention of top fashion photographers, and by the late '80s, he had established himself as India's top male model. With a contract from Vimal Suitings and a then-unheard-of fee of Rs 1.5 lakh per shoot in 1987, Deepak was not just a face on billboards — he was a phenomenon. Naturally, film offers followed. He chose Yash Chopra's Lamhe for his big screen debut, a romantic drama that starred Sridevi in a double role and featured actors like Anil Kapoor, , and . Deepak played Siddharth, the quiet, composed lover of Sridevi's character Pallavi. Unfortunately, his screen time was limited and his performance failed to make the desired impact. One particular moment — where his character tries to revive a fainting Pallavi, repeatedly calling out 'Pallo' in a flat tone — became the subject of ridicule. Though memes didn't exist back then, that moment became an early-'90s pop culture punchline. The backlash was swift and brutal. Critics panned his performance, and the audience never forgot that scene. The damage was done. Deepak lost out on pivotal roles — he dropped out of the lead in Chamatkar (1992), a film that would go on to mark 's rise. He was reportedly also considered for Yash Chopra's Darr, but was replaced by after the Lamhe fallout. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Other opportunities slipped away as well — Bekhudi went to Kamal Sadanah, Suryavanshi to Salman Khan, and Junoon to Rahul Roy. His only other release after Lamhe was Tejasvini, directed by N. Chandra, which also didn't fare well at the box office. By 1993, Deepak Malhotra had exited the industry completely. Seeking a fresh start, he relocated to the United States, adopted a new name — Dino Martelli — and shifted his focus back to fashion. He studied industrial engineering and design and eventually transitioned into entrepreneurship, launching his own apparel brand in 2018. Now based in New York, he continues to lead the business as its principal. Deepak also found love in fellow fashion industry stalwart Lubna Adam, a former supermodel turned choreographer. The two got married and have two sons, Kian and Kyle, who have already made a mark in the fashion world by walking the ramp for Manish Malhotra.
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Supermodel, who played Sridevi's husband, quit Bollywood after receiving immense hate for a 10-second scene, left India forever and changed his name
As far as debuts go, it was a dream one — starring opposite Sridevi, being launched by Yash Chopra, even if the length of the role itself was minuscule. However, India's reigning supermodel at that time, Deepak Malhotra, was undone by that very short role and a dialogue. After his rise as a top model in the 1980s, Deepak got an opportunity to be launched by Yash Raj Films in Lamhe (1991) opposite Sridevi. It was meant to be his golden chance, a breakthrough for his acting career, but everything went downhill after the release of the film. After a successful modelling career and become a heartthrob among women, he failed to get more offers only because of one badly delivered dialogue. This was long before social media trolling will become a thing but Deepak's one dialogue 'Pallo', as he speaks to Sridevi in Lamhe, became his undoing. As work dried up, Deepak left for the US. He changed his name to Dino Martelli, and is now an entrepreneur, living in New York. The model-actor was born in Bangalore in 1964. Deepak was a national-level gymnast before completing his studies at Christ University (1982-85). His athletic and lean physique was preferred by fashion photographers, hence helped him get many modelling offers. By late-80s, he earned a lot of fame as a super model, not just in Bangalore, but the whole country. He soon signed a contract with Vimal Suitings and became the highest-paid model in India, and reportedly chargeed a humongous Rs 1.5 lakh back in 1987. Around the same time, he started receiving film offers and he chose his first film to be the romantic drama Lamhe, with Sridevi, directed by the iconic Yash Chopra. The movie also featured Anil Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman and Anupam Kher and was a story ahead of its time. Sridevi portrayed a double role as both mother and daughter – Pallavi and Pooja. Deepak played Pallavi's love interest and husband, Siddharth. But, after the release, the film tanked badly at the box office. ALSO READ | Honey Irani says people began taking her seriously after she wrote Lamhe: 'Someone said I'd ghost-write Salim-Javed's work' In addition, Deepak's performance was brutally criticised by critics. He was judged by one scene, which then became a pop culture reference. The sequence was about Pallavi fainting and Siddharth trying to wake her up, and the audience wasn't happy with his monotone and stiff delivery. His act in the famous 'Pallo' moment became a huge joke in the early 90s and we have seen many memes around it. The actor had dropped out of a leading role in Rajiv Mehra's Chamatkar (1992) for a small supporting role in Lamhe. Chamatkar finally went to Shah Rukh Khan who was just starting his ascent in Bollywood. Deepak Malhotra was also being considered by Yash Chopra for his next film, Darr. However, after the negative response to his acting skills in Lamhe, the director replaced him with Sunny Deol. The actor also lost several other films, including Bekhudi to Kamal Sadanah, Suryavanshi to Salman Khan, and Junoon to Rahul Roy. In fact, he was even being considered a rival to the young actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. But by 1993, he had run out of offers. Soon after, he quit films and moved to the US. After Lamhe, his only release was N Chandra's Tejasvini, which was another box office disaster. To step away from the limelight completely, Deepak Malhotra changed his name to Dino Martelli. He continued to model there and also studied industrial engineering and designing, but eventually became a garment entrepreneur. He also made headlines for his relationship rumours with former supermodel-turned-fashion show choreographer, Lubna Adam. Deepak Malhotra is now living in New York since many years. In 2018, he founded his own apparel brand and is serving as its principal currently. He got married to Lubna and have two sons together – Kian and Kyle. Both brothers followed their father's footsteps and modelled for Manish Malhotra a few years ago.
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
K-pop Star Lee Gi-kwang Makes His Big Screen Debut - And We're So Here For It
Lee Gi-kwang, A character with a twist and a splendid action performance that reveals a cruel wildness behind a gentle appearance From Stage to Screen - The Ultimate Career Glow-Up Remember when our Bollywood stars like Priyanka Chopra and Diljit Dosanjh crossed over to international projects? Well, K-pop is serving us the same energy! Lee Gi-kwang from the legendary boy band Highlight is making his silver screen debut with the thriller " I Kill U ". And honestly, we're getting major goosebumps thinking about this career transition. The film hit theaters on July 23rd, which has already happened. What makes this even more exciting is that "I Kill U" isn't just any random debut - it already made waves at the 29th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and bagged the Best Asian Film award from the Melies International Festivals Federation. Talk about starting strong! The Plot That's Got Everyone Talking "I Kill U" follows Sun-woo (played by Kang Ji-young), a former taekwondo prospect who now works part-time jobs. She becomes entangled in a massive conspiracy while trying to raise money for her mother's medical bills. The thriller showcases intense action sequences that would make even our Bollywood action directors proud. Here's where it gets juicy - Lee Gi-kwang plays Ho-jung, who's Ji-yeon's half-brother and the film's main antagonist. Seeing a K-pop idol take on a villain role is like watching Shah Rukh Khan play the bad guy in "Darr" - unexpected but absolutely brilliant. The main poster and trailer revealed Gi-kwang's transformation into this cruel character, showing a gentle exterior hiding savage brutality. Master Director Behind the Action This isn't just any debut film - it's directed by Yoo Ha, the mastermind behind iconic Korean films like "Marriage Is a Crazy Thing," "Once Upon a Time in High School," and "A Dirty Carnival". Having such an established action genre master helm Gi-kwang's debut adds serious credibility to this career transition. It's similar to how our top directors in Bollywood often launch new talent - the backing of experience makes all the difference.
