Meant for TV, 'Aashiqui' was made on ₹40L: Deepak Tijori
The 1990 romantic drama Aashiqui, directed by Mahesh Bhatt and starring Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal in lead roles, is a timeless classic. However, not many know that the film was originally made on a humble budget of ₹40L and meant for TV broadcast. This was revealed by actor Deepak Tijori who had a pivotal role in the movie, in a recent interview with Manju Ramanan.
Tijori recalled the modest beginnings of 'Aashiqui'
Tijori recalled how the film started off small, "When Aashiqui was being made, it was being made in ₹40L. We thought it would come on TV." He compared Aashiqui to Gulshan Kumar's Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka (1998), both of which were thought to be small films. "It was like how Gulshan ji made Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka...it was made like that, like a small film. So we were working like that on Aashiqui."
Kumar's unique strategy for 'Aashiqui's success
Tijori also emphasized the pivotal contribution of T-Series founder Kumar in making Aashiqui a reality. He disclosed that Kumar had a unique strategy of making sure the film's songs were popular before making the movie. "Gulshan Kumar did that, he made sure the songs (from Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka) were a hit first and then he made the film. He did the same with Aashiqui."
'Aashiqui's music paved the way for its production
The music of Aashiqui, composed by Nadeem-Shravan, struck a chord with the audience and paved the way for the making of the film. Tijori remembered how Kumar came to Bhatt with the idea to make a movie around these hit songs. "He called Bhatt sahab and made him listen to the songs and told him, 'Iske upar film banaiye (make a film around these songs).' Bhatt sahab actually did that and the film turned out the way it did."
'Aashiqui' became a massive commercial success
Despite its humble beginnings and a modest budget, Aashiqui became a massive commercial success. The film's songs are still celebrated as some of the most iconic in Indian cinema. The success of the 1990 film was later attempted to be recreated with Aashiqui 2—starring Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur—which became a major hit. Building on the original's emotional depth, the sequel captured hearts with its romantic storyline and memorable tracks. Now, talks are underway about a third installment.
