He thought that his parents didn’t get what they deserved so it’s his duty to get them what they deserved.
He was shown as an innocent child who thought his parents were wronged and should get justice. There was a proper character arc of Duryoydhan. Why did you want to play the antagonist in Mahabharat? Puneet Issar (second from right) in Mahabharat. Vijayendra Ghatge was cast as Bhishma but he wasn’t ready to sport a white beard and had to be dropped. He wanted to play Arjun and but was signed for the role of Dronacharya.
Mukesh Khanna was also considered for the role of Duryodhan but he didn’t want to play an antagonist. I had recited the Jayadrath Vadh in front of Chopra saab and they were convinced with my powerful speech. I recommended Praveen Kumar, the Asian Games gold medallist who was 6’8’,’ and finally breathed easy when he was finalised for the role of Bheem. He agreed to cast me as Duryodhan but on a condition that if they are unable to find a man with a bigger body than mine for the role of Bheem, I will have to take up the role. Since I had read Mahabharat, I wanted to play Duryodhan. I was 6’3’’, super fit guy with a well-built body and Chopra saab thought I was perfect for the role of Bheem. Why the makers were intent to cast you in the role of Bheem? In an interview with Hindustan Times, Puneet opened up about his journey from the Coolie accident where his punch left Amitabh Bachchan battling for his life to being beaten up by two-time gold medallist Praveen Kumar on the sets of Mahabharat. They found their ideal Bheem in athlete Praveen Kumar, who left Puneet bruised and battered in the climax fight scene. However, the 6 feet 3 inches tall Puneet was cast as Duryodhan on one condition - the makers should be able to find an actor taller than him to play Bheem. While many had to settle like the show’s Krishna, Nitsh Bhardwaj, who actually wanted to play Abhimanyu, Puneet got the role he wanted. Puneet Issar, known for playing the lead antagonist Duryodhan in BR Chopra’s Mahabharat, is one of the very few actors who actually got to play his dream role in the hit mythological show.