During the shooting of Mission Kashmir (2000), an unexpected clash occurred between Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Sonali Kulkarni. While working alongside Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt, and Preity Zinta, the actress found herself waiting for two days on set without any scenes to film. Frustrated, she confronted Vidhu, which led to a tense argument. The filmmaker then acknowledged her illness, ensuring she was cared for before her scenes were finally filmed.
In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Sonali Kulkarni reflected on her time working with Vidhu Vinod Chopra during Mission Kashmir. She recalled an intense moment when he scolded her on set.
They were in Srinagar in October, staying at the Nehru guest house amidst freezing temperatures, and Sonali had fallen sick with a fever. Despite this, she wasn’t called for any scenes for two days.
The actress said, “One time he yelled at me really bad. We were shooting in Srinagar in October. During this time, we stayed in the Nehru guest house. It was extremely cold then, and I even got fever. For two days, they didn’t shoot even a single scene with me.”
Frustrated, Sonali Kulkarni voiced her concerns to Vidhu, asking to be sent back. He snapped, questioning her sanity, which led to an argument as she pushed to know when her scenes would finally be filmed.
She said, “He was like, ‘Tu pagal hai? You think I will let you return from here?’ I also yelled back, ‘So, when are you going to shoot my scenes?’”
She also shared that, in the heat of the moment, she didn’t fully grasp that she was speaking to a filmmaker as prominent as Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Her focus was purely on practical matters—if her scenes weren’t scheduled, she felt it would make sense to let her leave and return when they were ready to shoot.
Sonali Kulkarni wasn’t concerned about logistical details like ticket costs or other production factors, as her main priority was making efficient use of time.
She recalled standing up to the director during Mission Kashmir when he dismissed her concerns, calling her ‘mad’. Undeterred, she firmly replied, “I am not mad. I know my lines and my role.”
Her bold stance led him to realize she wasn’t feeling well, and he arranged for her to be taken care of. Shortly afterward, she filmed her scene. She said, “After hearing this, Vidhu called someone and told, ‘Feed her something; she has a fever.’ Eventually, I shot my scene.”
Vidhu Vinod Chopra, known for his visionary filmmaking, has directed acclaimed classics like Khamosh, Parinda, 1942: A Love Story, and Mission Kashmir. His more recent work includes the biographical drama 12th Fail (2023) and major Bollywood hits such as the Munna Bhai series, 3 Idiots (2009), PK (2014), and Sanju (2018), each of which has left a lasting impact on Indian cinema. (Agencies)
