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Amrita Rao’s Poonam from Vivah (2006) is one of the most loved characters in Hindi cinema. As the film approaches to complete two decades of touching hearts, we revisit a special throwback interview with very own Poonam. In this candid conversation, Amrita shares what went into becoming Poonam and how director Sooraj Barjatya believed she was perfect for the role. She also recalls fun moments with co-star Shahid Kapoor, including some unexpected & scary on-set pranks. If Vivah holds a special place in your heart, this rare conversation has a few stories you cannot afford to miss. Watch only on Lehren. #amritarao #vivah #shahidkapoor #soorajbarjatya #rajshriproductions #lehren #lehrepodcast

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Transcript
00:00Do anjane ajnabi, chale bandhane bandhan, dil mein hai ye uljan ki milkar kya bole.
00:05I'm sure ye khayaal sab kim dil mein kahe na kahe se guzra hai, ya guzre ga.
00:10I'm sure it'll be very hummable and instantly should be a hit with the masses.
00:15We're hoping for the best.
00:16But to my surprise, he said something like legend of Bhagat Singh.
00:20You know, jaha pae kul mila kar, I think screen pae I was just barely enough for seven minutes.
00:25So that was very touchy because that role had made an impact on someone like Suresh Pachatia.
00:32I think that in our film industry, there's no film in the arrangement of such a concept.
00:39Of course, this film is not focusing on the married life.
00:43It's the courtship period, we're very clear about that.
00:51In Vivaha, I'm a small town in Madhupur, which is in North India.
00:58I'm a woman there, my name is Poonam.
01:01And Shahid plays Prem, who's a business tycoon son from Delhi.
01:08Though our contrasting backgrounds hai, but that is not the focus in the movie.
01:14The focus is of an unknown boy and an unknown girl who don't know each other and who meet each
01:25other for the first time
01:26because their parents have got them together to get married.
01:30So, it is, I think that in our film industry, there's no concept of such a film.
01:44Of course, this film is not focusing on the married life.
01:48It's the courtship period, we're very clear about that.
01:51So, it was a very fine experience.
01:56How did the movie happen to you?
01:59It's so happened that one fine day, I read in the papers that Shahid Kapoor has been signed by Suraj
02:06Barjatya.
02:08And I was very, very happy for him because I was like, wow, this is really something for him.
02:13And the next thing I know is, I get a call from my secretary saying,
02:17Our meeting is still there.
02:19It was that fast and that sudden for me.
02:22So, and when I met Suraj Ji for the first time, I had no clue,
02:29ki unke mere pati kya expectations thai, woh mujhe kis roop mein dekhna chaatai thai,
02:34mujhe kuch, iska kuch andazah nahi tha.
02:37So, I went dressed completely in western, jeans and t-shirt like a total contemporary Bombayite,
02:47to find that the role he wants me to enact is a small town girl from Madhupur who is Poonam.
02:55But one thing I really, really will not forget is the first thing Suraj Ji said to me is,
03:01I really liked you in that film of yours.
03:04And in that split second, you know,
03:06mera man went to all the big box office hit films that I've usually been associated with.
03:13But to my surprise, he said something like,
03:16Legend of Bhagat Singh.
03:18You know, jaha pe kul mila kar, I think screen pe, I was just barely enough for seven minutes.
03:23So, that was very touchy because that role had made an impact on someone like Suraj Pachatiya.
03:32Amrita, aapko yeh role karne ke liye kitna kuch home work karna pada?
03:41Suraj ji aise director hai, jo apne scripts khud likhte hai,
04:11Aar humare set pe jitne bhi characters hai,
04:14in his role in the film 4 or 2 minutes.
04:19Suraj Ji is so familiar with all the thoughts and thoughts that
04:27I think none of us would recognize those characters better than he does.
04:33So when I discovered this, I stopped doing any kind of homework and coming onto the set.
04:41I would only know what this scene is.
04:44And I would just observe Suraj Ji, listen to him carefully and try to emulate him as far as I
04:53could.
04:54The music is so famous and we would like to know how the music is.
05:00Who? Who's music?
05:01Rajshri Productions.
05:02The music is so popular and we would like to know how the music is.
05:09Yes, Suraj Ji is so popular in all his films.
05:13And there is always an important aspect of his films.
05:19His films are very situational.
05:21So it doesn't seem to be a jerk that we are dancing in some locations.
05:29In fact, there is no more songs in dance.
05:33Most of them are situational and most of them are in pattern with the storyline.
05:38So when the songs are being played, if you wake up and get up for Popcorn, it's wrong timing.
05:51What's your mind of this song?
05:53Can you do it?
05:59My favorite song is...
06:03I'm still wrestling between 3-4 songs right now.
06:06I think there is a song that we have been picturized.
06:10In fact, that was the first day of my shoot.
06:12We began shooting with that song.
06:14Which is called,
06:15And when I was shooting it, why did you have to watch this film?
06:20You have to watch this film.
06:22And...
06:23In addition to this song,
06:26Which is called,
06:29Which is called,
06:30Do Anjane Ajnabi.
06:31Chale bandhane bandhan.
06:33Dil mein hai ye uljan ki milkar kya bole?
06:36His lyrics are so simple.
06:38I'm sure,
06:39I'm sure,
06:39Yeh khayal,
06:40Sab kem dil mein kahi nah kahi se guzra hai,
06:43Ya guzre ga.
06:44So because it's so relative,
06:47I'm sure it'll be,
06:48Very hummable,
06:49And instantly,
06:51Should be a hit with the masses.
06:53We're hoping for the best.
06:55Amita Shahid ke saad,
06:55You've already done the 2-3k film.
07:01I've answered this question,
07:02So please.
07:05Let's start afresh.
07:06Tell us about some incidents,
07:08Tell us about Shahid ke saad,
07:09Said but.
07:10Yeah.
07:11This is different.
07:16Shahid Kapoor is known for his pranks.
07:19And mostly his target is Amrita Rao.
07:23I'm usually the butt of all jokes.
07:25And by now I'm quite comfortable with that.
07:30I've got used to it.
07:30I have no choice.
07:31This time Nainital,
07:34They made a makeup man's face,
07:38And I was afraid of them.
07:40And the first target obviously,
07:43I was.
07:44So,
07:45I think at 12 in the night,
07:47I have been in the night,
07:48I have seen a lot of people in our room.
07:49And someone is standing by hand.
07:51And my mother,
07:52And I and my mother
07:52The very big shock were so numb.
07:54Because we were in a hotel
07:56Which was in a very weird area.
08:01And we really got scared.
08:03So I called the reception,
08:05And I didn't open the door.
08:07And they waited,
08:08And waited,
08:08And finally,
08:09we heard a shout saying, auntie, it's ours. And there I opened the door to see Shahid
08:16being leader to this entire group of assistant directors who all thought they could fool
08:21us. But after that, this journey of being a ghost and being scared, we tried to be scared
08:30to be scared. But there was one actor who was very scared, and that is Samir Soni. Every
08:41girl has a dream to become a ghost in her life. But I realized that my priority right now
08:53is very different, because the chance I got is one in a million opportunity.
09:00And I would like to do justice to that God given opportunity right now and do some good
09:07work and focus on entertaining my audiences.
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