Juhi Chawla's Strict 'One Kiss' Policy in Lootere
In a fascinating revelation about 1990s Bollywood, producer Suneel Darshan has shared an intriguing anecdote about Juhi Chawla's firm stance on intimate scenes during the making of the 1993 action romance Lootere co-starring Sunny Deol.
The incident highlights the transition phase in Juhi Chawla's career as she moved from her girl-next-door image established in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak to playing a more westernized character in Lootere.
From QSQT Innocence to Lootere's Bold Avatar
Suneel Darshan, who had previously distributed both Juhi's debut film Sultanat (1986) and her breakthrough Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), recognized her untapped potential and decided to cast her in Lootere. However, the actress had significant reservations about the character's overtly westernized portrayal.
"There was a beach song in which she had to just wear a shirt and get wet — 'Main Teri Rani Tu Raja'. So, there were some reservations," Darshan recalled about Juhi's initial hesitation. Interestingly, while Juhi was contemplating the role, the late Divya Bharti expressed keen interest in being part of the movie, but the producers felt she didn't fit the role conceptually.
The Kissing Scene Controversy
The most dramatic moment came during the shooting of a crucial lip-to-lip kissing sequence between Juhi Chawla and Sunny Deol. The producers had strategically scheduled this sensitive scene for the later stages of shooting to allow both actors to become comfortable with each other.
"We'd erected a set outdoors, but realized that day that Juhi was missing," Suneel revealed. The actress had apparently used the shoot of another film in Udaipur as an excuse to avoid the intimate scene initially.
When the team finally managed to shoot the scene using multiple cameras to capture it in a single take, they immediately felt the need for a retake. However, Juhi Chawla stood her ground, reminding the producer about their contractual agreement.
"Mr. Darshan, as per contract, I was supposed to do one kiss. I've done that already," Juhi firmly told Suneel Darshan, according to his recollection of the incident.
Legacy of a Career-Defining Film
Despite the single-take kissing scene, Suneel Darshan considers Lootere as "one of the most underplayed and important films of Juhi Chawla's career." He emphasized that the entire film revolved around Juhi's character, which was quite revolutionary for its time when hero-centric narratives dominated Bollywood.
"It feels like childishness today, but it was very sweet. So, we never shot a retake but retained the first take in the final cut," Darshan commented, reflecting on the incident with nostalgia.
The film released in the same year as Yash Chopra's seminal romantic thriller Darr, which also featured Juhi Chawla alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Sunny Deol, making 1993 a particularly significant year in her career trajectory.
