Actress Mahima Chaudhry, who made a memorable debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 1997 hit 'Pardes', has recently shed light on the challenging and often toxic environment that prevailed on Bollywood sets during her early career. In a candid conversation, she contrasted her experiences on her first and second films, revealing instances of shouting, abusive language, and a culture of negativity that she had to navigate.
From Tears to Triumph: The 'Pardes' Episode
While 'Pardes', directed by the acclaimed Subhash Ghai, remains a beloved film, Mahima recalled that shooting it was far from easy. She shared a specific incident where Ghai scolded her harshly during a take, leaving her in tears. However, in a twist of fate, this very emotional state was channeled into one of her most memorable scenes in the movie.
"It sometimes helps when you get scolded by someone," Mahima reflected. She explained that the scolding occurred just before the famous phone scene, where her character was required to cry. "He made me cry in a way. You had to cry in that scene and you have been already crying, your voice is like that, so it's fantastic, it helped," she said, acknowledging that Ghai's method, though tough, yielded a powerful on-screen moment.
A 'Daag' on Her Second Film Experience
If her first film had a difficult but ultimately productive atmosphere, her second project, 'Daag' directed by Raj Kanwar, was a different story altogether. Mahima described the environment on its sets as rife with "bad behaviour" and negativity. She pointed out that shouting and the use of abusive language over the microphone were normalised, creating a hostile workspace.
She narrated an incident where a male co-actor had to point out to her that the director's loud, indirect rants were aimed at them. "People used to shout loudly on the mic, including abusive language, it was nonsense," she stated. The actress also mentioned the prevalence of "groupism" during the filming of 'Daag', which further soured the experience.
Speaking English as a Shield
To protect herself in these uncomfortable and indirect confrontations, Mahima Chaudhry devised a unique defense mechanism. She deliberately began speaking in English to create a barrier. "I used to talk in English intentionally and ask, 'Excuse me, did you just say that I have to step here and do this scene?'" she revealed.
Her strategy was based on the observation that while people were quick to hurl insults in Hindi, switching to English would force them to pause and think. "I felt that they would say a lot to me in Hindi, but with English, they would take time to say. This was my defense mechanism," she explained. She believes the culture has shifted somewhat today due to the omnipresence of cameras, which can expose bad behaviour instantly.
On the work front, Mahima Chaudhry is currently promoting her upcoming romantic comedy-drama 'Durlabh Prasad Ki Dusri Shadi', where she stars alongside Sanjay Mishra. The film is scheduled for release on December 19. She was last seen in the Netflix film 'Nadaaniyan', which featured Khushi Kapoor and Ibrahim Ali Khan in lead roles.
