Meet actor who worked as hotel manager, lost Maine Pyar Kiya to Salman Khan, was Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan's rival, now...

Before beginning his career in the Hindi film industry, Deepak Tijori worked as a front office manager in Hotel Searock in Mumbai. He sat outside the offices of production companies and gave multiple auditions. During his struggling phase, Deepak lost the 1989 musical romantic drama Maine Pyar Kiya, which proved to the breakthrough film of Salman Khan.

Talking to Bollywood Hungama in 2022, Deepak said, "Salman Khan and I both auditioned for Maine Pyar Kiya. Sooraj Barjatya (the director) later told me that after watching the rushes, the Barjatya family decided to go ahead with Salman Khan. Salman and I were the only two people who were competing for the role of Prem, neck-to-neck. They had even told me that if they selected me, they’d like to change my name on the screen and discussed how they’d like to launch me."

Tijori eventually made his acting debut in a supporting role in the 1990 musical romantic drama Aashiqui, which also marked the debut of its leading pair Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal. The actor went on to do many supporting roles in the 1990s, but never became a leading star himself. Pehla Nasha, his first film as the leading hero, was a major flop at the box office.

Deepak played Aamir Khan's villanous rival in the inter-school cycling championship in the 1992 coming-of-age sports drama Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar directed by Mansoor Khan. In the 1994 romantic comedy Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa helmed by Kundan Shah, he stole Shah Rukh Khan's love and got married to the heroine Suchitra Krishnamurthy in the climax.

After playing several side roles, the actor turned to direction with the erotic comedy Oops! in 2003. Deepak then helmed a few other forgettable films such as Fareb, Khamoshh... Khauff Ki Raat, Tom, Dick, and Harry, Fox, and Do Lafzon Ki Kahani. His last release was the 2024 thriller Tipppsy, which he had headlined and helmed. He also participated in the first season of the controversial reality show Bigg Boss in 2006. The show was hosted by Arshad Warsi and won by his Aashiqui co-star Rahul Roy.