Pankaj Dheer is one of the most talented actors in the television world. Credited as one of the most senior actors, Pankaj rose to fame with his portrayal of the role of the warrior prince, ‘Karna’ in B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharat. He aced his role with such finesse that he was not only remembered for his iconic performance, but his pictures in the role began to be used as references in textbooks. Moreover, idols made out of his look also began to be worshipped in many places across India. However, did you know that Pankaj initially desired to take up the role of ‘Arjun’ in the series? Well, read on to know more.
Pankaj Dheer shares why he missed out on the opportunity to play ‘Arjun’ in B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharat
In an interaction with Lehren, Pankaj Dheer opened up about being a part of B.R. Chopra’s iconic mythological show, Mahabharat. Although the actor played the role of ‘Karna’, he revealed that initially he was auditioned to play the role of ‘Arjun’. However, despite having aced the audition, he couldn’t finally bag the opportunity, and it was Feroz Khan who ended up playing it. Talking about how he became a misfit for playing ‘Arjun’, Pankaj said:
“When I gave my audition, dialogue writers Rahi Masoom Raza, Bhring Tupkari sahab and Pandit Narendra Sharma ji had a panel together. They all thought that I would suit the role of Arjuna well. We shook hands on that and I signed the contract. Then BR Chopra called me and told me that since I would also have to play the role of Brihannala (the eunuch form of Arjuna) and for that you would need to shave off your moustache. I was like, ‘No, I can’t do that.’ I told him that my face’s balance is such that if I shave off my moustache, I won’t look good. He told me, ‘Are you an actor or what? You are leaving such a big role because of a moustache. I can’t understand this.’”