Overview

• In July 2025 interviews, Tijori revealed he first narrated the Baazigar concept to directors Abbas-Mustan and was considered for the lead role.
• Shah Rukh Khan waited for Tijori’s formal refusal before accepting the part, according to the actor-director’s account.
• Abbas-Mustan later apologized for the confusion and offered compensation, which Tijori forgave without resentment.
• Baazigar’s 1993 release launched Khan’s breakout anti-hero image and marked a career turning point.
• Tijori says the anecdote exemplifies the era’s spirit of friendship and mutual respect in 1990s Bollywood.