Did You Know Dilip Kumar Was The First Choice For 'Lawrence Of Arabia' And Not Omar Sharif?

The late Omar Sharif burned his way into Hollywood with Lawrence of Arabia, and went on to become one of its hottest sex symbols. But what most people don't know is that the actor who was originally supposed to play Omar Sharif's role in the film was Dilip Kumar. Director David Lean was an Indophile thanks, partly, to the fact that his fourth wife was Leela Welingkar, a legendary Hyderabadi beauty. Lean had recently made The Bridge on the River Kwai, which had won seven Oscars, and he was now looking to make his next great blockbuster. To play Lawrence, Lean had originally wanted Marlon Brando, but Brando turned him down because the money wasn't good enough. Lean then selected the then unknown Peter O'Toole, with his brilliant blue-eyes.

REFRENCES=INDIA TIMES