
'Hema Malini Zeenat Aman Ban Jaye Toh Kaun Accept Karega': Why Yash Chopra DROPPED Film On Plastic Surgery
Actor Poonam Dhillon recently opened up about an old conversation with late filmmaker Yash Chopra that stayed with her for years. While returning from Japan, she was really taken by the plot of Danielle Steel's novel The Promise and believed it had the potential to become a great Hindi film.
She approached Yash Chopra with the idea and shared the story with him. 'I told Yashji. I said, 'Yashji, ek bohot achchi kahani maini padhi hai. I think it's a lovely story'. He said, 'I don't read books, you give it to Pam, she'll read it and tell me'. So I said, 'Okay'. Yeah, so Pam ji read it probably again in a day. It was a very fast read. And she gave him the narration of the subject. And I was very excited waiting for his reaction. So I said, Yash ji, you read it, Pam ji told you."
But Yash Chopra wasn't convinced. 'He said, 'Yes, yes. But this film, our Hindi audience won't accept it'. I said, 'Why Yash ji, it's such a good story, you know, romantic story, everything'," Poonam said.
The director pointed out what he believed was a major issue with the story. 'He said, acha ek baat bata. Hema Malini Zeenat Aman ban jaae, kon accept karega?" she recalled. 'He finished my dream there and then, and the story was over. Yash Chopra toh nahi banane waale the."
Though Yash Chopra didn't pursue the idea, the story was eventually made into a film titled Yeh Vaada Raha in 1982, directed by Kapil Kapoor. When Poonam was offered the project, she immediately agreed. But despite her excitement, the film struggled at the box office.
Reflecting on the outcome, she admitted that Chopra had a point. 'And sure, it proved right enough. At that time, plastic surgery wasn't something people would accept so easily. And that whole face has changed, and the same person is etc. So, it didn't work well at that time," she said.
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