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As Dil Chahta Hai turns 25 on August 10, here’s a throwback to when Saif Ali Khan almost rejected his iconic role as Sameer. The actor initially felt his character was barely present in the second half

As Dil Chahta Hai completes 25 years on Monday, August 10, the Farhan Akhtar directorial continues to be remembered as one of Hindi cinema’s most influential films about friendship, relationships and urban youth. But one of its most recognisable characters, Sameer, almost had a different fate, with Saif Ali Khan initially turning down the role because he felt he had very little to do in the second half.

Released in 2001, Dil Chahta Hai marked a major turning point in Saif’s career. Although he had made his acting debut in the early 1990s, the film gave him a fresh image and established him as a performer who could hold his own in an ensemble cast alongside Aamir Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta and Dimple Kapadia.

However, Saif was not convinced about taking up the role when it was first offered to him. In a 2001 interview with journalist Neelufer Qureshi, the actor revealed why he initially said no.

“I had refused because my role was hardly there in the second half of the film. Dimple asked me to reconsider my decision. Javed (Akhtar) sahab assured me that they would look into the matter.”