'Maine Pyar Kiya' actress Pervien Dastur reveals why she quit Bollywood and was replaced in Aamir & Salman Khan's films

After acting in Maine Pyar Kiya in 1989, actress Pervien Dastur was supposed to star in two more films, one with Salman Khan and the other with Aamir Khan, but fate had other plans. In an interview with a channel called Bollywood Thikana, she revealed she was not getting many exciting roles and offers. “Maybe I was spoiled by Rajshri,” she was quoted saying.

The two films of Aamir and Salman she was supposed to do were Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke and Sooryavanshi. She built a career in the airline industry as an air hostess and bid adieu to Bollywood.

About Maine Pyar Kiya

Also, much before Salman Khan was called ‘Sultan’ or ‘Bhaijaan’, the superstar was known as ‘Prem’, a popular screen name given by filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya, who says, its origins, just like his films, stem from the family. He said in an interview that Salman’s character could even have been called Raj, before Prem came about in Barjatya’s directorial debut with 1989’s Maine Pyar Kiya. 

For Barjatya, the journey to arrive at the name which would later become a signature mark for all his films, was a thought-out process. In an interview with Press Trust of India, Barjatya said the name encapsulates everything he wants to say through his films.

“When we were working on the script of Maine Pyaar Kiya, we were thinking about the name we should give to the hero. There were options like ‘Gaurav’, ‘Pratap’ and even ‘Raj’. This is before Shah Rukh Khan came. So, ‘Raj’ was also there as an option,” he revealed.

The director said there was a lot of deliberation on the name until he realised what he was looking for was within the family.

“That time our Rajshri Productions’ biggest hit was Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaye (1977). Prem Krishen ji was the hero and his name was ‘Prem’ in that film.

“So we all thought if that became a hit, let’s use the name for this film too in the hope that this would become a hit too. So that’s how this name started and has stayed till now,” he added.