Siddhant Chaturvedi Reveals He Was Once Rejected From Laila Majnu for Looking ‘Too Young’

After his success in the web-series Inside Edge, Siddhant Chaturvedi made a roaring film debut with Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy in 2019. Siddhant has since become a leading star. However, his film career might have begun sooner, provided he had been successful in a crucial audition. During a recent interview, Siddhant shared that he was shortlisted for the 2018 film Laila Majnu but was ultimately not finalized.

In the interview, Siddhant, who is currently promoting his upcoming film Dhadak 2 alongside Triptii Dimri, was asked about a film of Triptii’s that he particularly admired. He mentioned Laila Majnu, which was directed by Sajid Ali that also marked Triptii’s film debut in 2018.

Siddhant also shared that he was almost cast in the film opposite Triptii. He said, “I was shortlisted for Laila Majnu, and I was 22 at that point of time. I came very close. The thing is the guy had to be older than the girl. I didn’t know who was going to be playing the girl. It was my audition round days. I auditioned, but they felt I was a little too young. I grew my beard. My brother shot me in his new camera, and I made a profile that I sent them. Obviously, it didn’t work out.”

Hence, Avinash Tiwary was eventually selected to play Qais in the film Laila Majnu, which was released in 2018 and unfortunately did not achieve commercial success. Siddhant fondly remembered, giving his compliments on Triptii’s performance in the film, “I went to the screening of Laila Majnu, just to know what I was missing out on.”

Over the years, Laila Majnu has achieved a cult following, especially after its digital release. In August 2024, the film was re-released and eventually earned four times more than its initial run, ultimately achieving a big profit.

The upcoming film Dhadak 2, starring Siddhant and Triptii, directed by Shazia Iqbal, is produced by Dharma Productions, Zee Studios, and Cloud 9 Pictures. As a spiritual sequel to Dhadak and a remake of the Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal, Dhadak 2 is set to be released in theatres on August 1.

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