‘He Almost Got It’: Parmeet Sethi Says Son Ayushmaan Was Considered For Kuljeet's Role In DDLJ Broadway Musical

Nearly three decades after Parmeet Sethi immortalized the role of Kuljeet in Aditya Chopra’s timeless romantic classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), history nearly repeated itself — within his own family.

During a YouTube Live session celebrating one million subscribers for their family channel AAAP Ka Parivaar, Parmeet revealed that his younger son, Ayushmaan Sethi, had auditioned for the role of Kuljeet in Come Fall in Love, the Broadway musical adaptation of DDLJ produced by Chopra.

“He was shortlisted for the role of Kuljeet in the Broadway adaptation of DDLJ that happened at West End of London. He almost got it,” Parmeet shared proudly.

Ayushmaan on Why He Missed the Part

Joining the conversation, Ayushmaan, who is following in his parents’

footsteps as an actor, revealed why he didn’t bag the final role. “They wanted someone who was experienced in Western classical singing for a long time. I have some experience in it, but not as much as they wanted,” he said.

Like his elder brother Aaryamann Sethi, Ayushmaan is a graduate of the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York.

Adding a dose of humor, his mother, actor Archana Puran Singh, chimed in: “As an aspiring actor, it’s very tough to describe what you’re doing. You’re doing struggle. ‘Struggle’ is a very Indian term, but we usually call it ‘aspiring actors.’”

The Legacy of Kuljeet and DDLJ

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge — one of Indian cinema’s most beloved films — continues to cast a long shadow. The 1995 Aditya Chopra film followed Raj (Shah Rukh Khan), an NRI who falls in love with Simran (Kajol) during a European trip. But Simran’s strict father (Amrish Puri) wants her to marry Kuljeet, her fiancé in Punjab, leading to one of the most iconic love stories ever told on screen.

Parmeet’s performance as Kuljeet, the macho yet traditional Punjabi fiancé, became memorable for embodying both arrogance and charm — making him one of Bollywood’s most recognizable “other men.”

Parmeet on His Own Rejection and Redemption

Interestingly, Parmeet revealed that he too was initially rejected for the role he’s now synonymous with. In an interview with SCREEN, the actor shared, “I asked Aditya (Chopra) to give me a screen test once. He smiled and called me again. He gave me four main scenes of the film. I had so much guts, I changed the lines a bit to give it more of a Punjabi essence. Archana also helped me with a few phrases… After a long pause, he said, ‘You are my Kuljeet.’”

Three decades later, it seems the legacy of Kuljeet nearly came full circle — from father to son — proving that sometimes, cinematic history has a way of repeating itself.