Director Anil Sharma recently revealed that a film project starring Dharmendra and Dilip Kumar was shelved due to his decision to make "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha". Sharma calls not working with Dilip Kumar one of his life's biggest regrets.

Sharma was initially planning a period film set against the backdrop of Kashmir, focusing on the exodus of Hindus from the valley. He had approached Dilip Kumar for the lead role, and the legendary actor had agreed. Dharmendra was also approached to be a part of the film. The script included a subplot about a Kashmiri man falling in love with a girl from across the border.

After hearing the storyline from his writer Shaktimaan, Sharma realized that the subplot had the potential to be a standalone story. He decided to create "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha" instead of pursuing his original plan. Shaktimaan was against the idea, as he had already made commitments to the actors and completed narrations. However, Sharma was determined to proceed with "Gadar," even if it meant personally apologizing to everyone for the change in plans.

Sharma did apologize to all the actors for not following through with the original project. Despite the success of "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha," he still considers not having had the opportunity to work with Dilip Kumar as a significant regret.

"Gadar: Ek Prem Katha" went on to become a blockbuster, and Sharma recently released its sequel, "Gadar 2," which has also received a massive response. While "Gadar" achieved immense success, the shelved project with Dilip Kumar remains a poignant "what if" in Anil Sharma's career.

Other Dilip Kumar films that never saw the light of day include "Shikwa," "Asar," and "Aakhri Mughal". "Shikwa" was directed by Ramesh Saigal and co-starred Nutan. "Asar" was to feature Ajay Devgn and Priyanka Chopra. "Aakhri Mughal," directed by Kamal Amrohi, was supposed to include Dharmendra.