Dino Morea recalls Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi producer asking him to change his name to Siddhant, says girls pulled his jacket after film’s popularity

Initially hesitant to take on the role, Dino Morea credits the film’s director Raj Kaushal and actor-model Mandira Bedi for their guidance and encouragement. Collaborating with Shailendra Singh on the project, Dino embraced the joy of acting, even without formal training.

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Even before the film was released in theatres, Dino had become a sensation, this time, as an actor, thanks to the film’s trailer and songs. He recalled the film’s producer Shailendra Singh suggesting changing Dino’s name to Siddhant, his character in the film. “My producer wanted to change my name to Siddhant. ‘Yeh Dino kya hai? Dino Morea kaisa naam hai?’ I was like, ‘Everybody knows my name, why do you want to want to change my name?’ If I go out and introduce myself as Siddhanth, people will get confused. I was thinking of changing my name. They put it in my head. Then I finally said, ‘No, I am not changing my name.’ I was known as me,” he shared. 

Promoting the film was a whirlwind of excitement, marked by a newfound curiosity in the debutants. Dino Morea fondly recalls the frenzy surrounding the film’s release, particularly the adoration of fans in Kolkata and his hometown of Bengaluru. “It was crazy during the promotions. There was madness. The songs were already out. We were these new bunch of kids, so there was a lot of curiosity. It was fresh, unlike other run-of-the-mill films of that time. There was also interest in Rinkie Khanna, Rajesh Khanna’s daughter and Twinkle Khanna’s sister, who was making her debut,” said Dino, adding,  “I remember after a premiere in Kolkata, girls outside the theatre pulled my jacket. I had scratches on my body. I told myself, ‘Yeh alag tarah ka pagalpan hai’. I felt this for the first time. It was exhilarating. When I visited my hometown in Bengaluru after the film’s release, I witnessed madness there, too. It was magical.” 

Despite the movie’s popularity, Dino struggled to secure more film offers following its release. He attributes this peculiar phenomenon to the unpredictable nature of the film industry. Reflecting on the experience, Morea said, “Yeh ek ajeeb industry hai? Following the film, no modelling offers were coming in. Wherever I went, I was going like actor-model. My price was different. I was making appearances and doing finales of shows. The excitement went to a different level. I felt great but I didn’t get any film offers immediately after the success of Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi. I don’t know the reason behind this lull. The film didn’t work that well at the box office despite there being a lot of craze around the film. I was surprised, nothing was happening and no films were coming my way.”

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