Nargis Fakhri spills beans on Bollywood people having multiple faces: ‘You have to put on a game face, which I couldn’t’
Fakhri next stars in Hari Hara Veera Mallu, an upcoming Telugu-language period action-adventure film, co-starring Pawan Kalyan, Nidhhi Agerwal, and Arjun Rampal.
Actress Nargis Fakhri, who made her acting debut opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar (2021) and then went on to appear in such successful films as Madras Café (2013), Main Tera Hero (2014), and Housefull 3 (2016, has been missing from the scene for quite some time now. She was last seen alongside Sanjay Dutt in the 2020 film Torbaaz which premiered on Netflix after facing an inordinate delay in its theatrical release.
In her latest interview, Fakhri opened up about how she was said to be immature at the start of her career because she “did not know how to manoeuvre in a new culture.”
“I did not know how to manoeuvre in a new culture. I was told that because I was so authentic and honest in my feelings. It was not a good thing. You have to interact with people even if you are not comfortable with them. You have to put on a game face, which I could not. I was said to be immature," the actress said.
After spending more than a decade in the industry, Fakhri has finally come to terms with that people in Bollywood have three faces – a business face, a creative face, and the personal face.
Revealing the reason behind taking a break from acting, the actress further said, “Consequently, I developed health issues. Was I depressed? I guess you can use the word. I was unhappy in my situation and was questioning myself as to why I was still there. I took two years off to get healthy. I did Vipassana meditation in the US.”
Nargis Fakhri will next be seen in Hari Hara Veera Mallu, an upcoming Indian Telugu-language period action-adventure film, co-starring Pawan Kalyan, Nidhhi Agerwal, and Arjun Rampal.
Keep visiting this space over and again for more updates and reveals from the world of entertainment.
Raj almost wasn’t Indian, Tom Cruise was the idea.
The title? Kirron Kher just threw it out there.
Pigeon scene: Totally SRK winging it. Kajol freaked a little.
Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna got added last minute. Can you imagine?
Maratha Mandir. Playing. Every day. Since 1995. Fans love it.
You might think you’ve seen it all in DDLJ. Raj, Simran, the songs, yes, we all know them. But there’s a lot behind the camera that most people have no clue about. Some of it was luck. Some of it Shah Rukh Khan just winging it. And some… well, Aditya Chopra being a little crazy. Here’s the stuff nobody really tells you.
How Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge became a Bollywood legend: 10 untold stories Youtube Screengrab
1. Raj almost had a totally different face
Aditya Chopra literally imagined an American guy and an Indian girl and had Tom Cruise in mind. But then his dad, Yash Chopra, stepped in and said, “Nope, Indian boy.” And then the story completely changed. Suddenly, it wasn’t Hollywood, but NRIs, family, love, and all the cultural stuff that actually hits you in the gut.
2. Kirron Kher named the film
That long, unforgettable title? Shah Rukh Khan thought it was clunky. But the rookie director, Aditya, heard it from Kirron Kher and went with his gut. And yes, she got a credit in the opening titles.
3. Script written in a month
Three years of thinking, then all of a sudden, the final script was done in three or four weeks. Can you imagine? The blueprint for the biggest romantic film of the ’90s, completed in less than a month.
4. Accidental magic
That pigeon-feeding scene with Amrish Puri? Totally improvised by Shah Rukh. Even Kajol’s shocked face in Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane was not planned. Aditya kept it a secret to get a real reaction. And it worked big time. Fans don’t even know half the story behind that moment.
5. Director hiding in a car
During the Zurich car ride, Aditya wasn’t just lurking behind the camera. No. He was lying flat in the back of the red convertible, flat out of frame, watching every move. Can you imagine lying like that for hours? Wild.
6. Raj’s leather jacket wasn’t a costume
Raj’s iconic leather jacket? The one every guy copied? Uday Chopra just bought it from a Harley shop in California and cost 400 bucks. Not a big fancy wardrobe magic, it was just a cool jacket he found.
7. Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhnaalmost didn’t happen
That wedding song everyone hums? Almost didn’t exist. It got added at the very last second, borrowed from another Yash Raj project. Imagine weddings without it!
8. Kajol’s towel moment
Kajol wasn’t a fan of that towel scene. She seriously didn’t want to shoot it, but the director insisted. And that white skirt in the song? The director said it looked frumpy. Manish Malhotra, the designer, had to take scissors and cut it shorter on the spot.
9. Shah Rukh’s prophecy
After reading the script, Shah Rukh told Yash Chopra: “This will define my stardom.” And he nailed it. Spot on.
10. The first “making of” documentary
Before YouTube, before making-of reels, they aired a half-hour documentary on Doordarshan.
Chaudhary Baldev Singh Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge Shah Rukh Khan Kajol www.easterneye.biz
24*7- for 365 days
And then there's Maratha Mandir. This old theater in Mumbai. It's still showing the film. Every. Single. Day. For 30 years. Tickets are 50 rupees. Fans go to watch it like a ritual, some book the gallery for birthdays or anniversaries. People even fly in from abroad. Iconic, right?
30 years later, Raj and Simran are on stage in Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical in Manchester. 18 original English songs. Same story. Same magic. New audience. And people are loving it.
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