Dilip Kumar had always been very choosy in regard to selecting his roles. The actor had refused many roles including Pyaasa. He also refused Sangam.
Raj Kapoor first offered him the role of Gopal (which was later played by Rajendra Kumar). The two actors were a part of Mehboob Khan’s Andaz which released in 1949.
It’s said that Dilip Kumar was not happy with the way his role shaped out in Andaz. This itself is quite surprising as he had a meaty role and many popular songs of the film were picturised on him. For some reasons he was wary on working with Raj Kapoor after that.
It’s also said that Raj Kapoor wanted Dilip Kumar to be a part of Sangam and he had later given him a choice to opt for any of the roles (Gopal or Sundar).
However the actor was disinterested in the project and finally the role of Gopal was essayed by Rajendra Kumar and Raj Kapoor stepped into the shoes of Sundar.
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