…was a really big deal for a broke student: Anaita Shroff Adajania on doing ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’

Anaita Shroff Adajania, a celebrity stylist, fashion magazine editor,
and wife of filmmaker Homi Adajania, says that when she took up Sheena’s
role in the film “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, she knew nothing about the film
industry. In a social media post, she also says that the only reason behind
saying yes to Aditya Chopra’s directorial is because she was getting a paid holiday to
Europe with her best friends. 

“I was in college when Adi (Aditya Chopra) and Karan (Johar) asked me to
help them cast my college friends to play Raj and Simrin’s friends in the film.
This was my introduction to the film industry- a world I knew nothing about at
the time. In the process, they convinced me into playing Sheena. I did it for a
laugh and a paid holiday to Europe with my bestie, which was a really big deal
for a broke student,” she said in a social media post.

 She also recalled the time when she reached Saanen, a small town in
Switzerland.

“… fresh off the bus ( ok plane) and seeing Shahrukh in his black suit on
a little bridge …and for me I felt that he was there only for me! I’m sure
whoever saw him on that bridge felt the same way – that’s why he’s Shahrukh.
Kajol was just Kajol – real, instinctive, full of love (and still gives the
tightest hugs ever). You have to remember that these were times when they were
no entourages, no managers and mobiles, no social media…film making was much
simpler, but extremely passionate. 

“Once we were there, we were cut off from the rest of the world for over a
month. We would all live together, eat together, sing together, dance
together… we become a real family, under the warm gaze of a legend like Yash
uncle (Yash Chopra),” she wrote.

 Anaita says that she is glad to be part of this brilliant film 

“Adi knew DDLJ from his core, and strove for nothing less than perfection.
We all hung out and helped each other in ways only close knit friends and
families do. Never having any acting ambitions( thankfully), I’m so glad that I
was part of this brilliant film and that I can still call everyone that I
worked with a friend. I’m so happy to have been a tiny part of this massive
legacy. #DDLJ25 #25yearsofDDLJ @yrf #adityachopra,”
she said.

‘DDLJ’, which was released on October 20, 1995, made Shah Rukh Khan and
Kajol one of the most loved on-screen pair.