Arif Zakaria clarifies rumors of replacing Shah Rukh Khan for the role of a transgender in Darmiyaan: “There was not much awareness…”

Arif elaborated on the context of the time when Darmiyaan was being cast. He noted that there was less awareness about LGBTQ+ roles in cinema back then. “Nowadays, actors come in sarees; earlier, there was not much awareness, so many actors rejected playing that role,” he explained. This lack of acceptance likely influenced casting decisions and led to many actors declining the opportunity.