How Yash Chopra Convinced Sandhya Mridul To Play A Key Role In Saathiya
Determined to work with Sandhya Mridul, Yash Chopra convinced her to meet the director of the film, Shaad Ali, even after she rejected the offer.
Sandhya Mridul's acting journey began with Mahesh Bhatt 's acclaimed television series Abhiman, where her poignant performance left a lasting impression. In a recent conversation, the actress revealed how Bhatt's belief in her talent opened doors and brought a wave of opportunities. Despite the numerous offers, Sandhya was disappointed. The reason? The tendency to focus more on appearance than substance in the characters she was being offered. But her fate took an unexpected turn when she got a call from Yash Raj Films for a pivotal role in Saathiya.
Talking to Times Of India, Sandhya said, 'I got a call saying that Yash Raj Films is trying to call me. I thought somebody was pranking me because I was a TV actor and I had not worked for three months at the time."
Sandhya Mridul's First Meeting With Yash Chopra
When she finally met Yash Chopra, she was starstruck. 'I met Yash ji himself and I was like, why is he meeting me?" the actress recalled. Further, she added, 'Chopra told me, 'Bache, I love you. I love your work. I don't leave a scene of your TV show, Koshish. My wife wants to meet you. We love you. He was lovely. He told me, 'Beta, ye picture kar le. This film will do well."
But then came the shocker as Sandhya turned down the offer. 'Mereko pictures nahin karni hai," she told the ace filmmaker, explaining to him that she simply did not understand Bollywood. She laughs now, remembering the moment when she 'said this to the king of Bollywood."
Yash Chopra Convinced Sandhya Mridul
Surprisingly, Yash Chopra was not offended at all. Instead, he was all praises for Sandhya's honesty, calling her 'a truthful person." Determined to work with her, he convinced her to meet the director of the film, Shaad Ali. According to the actress, the filmmaker told her, 'We are not like that. Hum achhe se rahenge, hum bade pyaar se tereko rakhenge."
The meeting between Shaad Ali and Sandhya took a turn when she realised they shared a past connection, making her more open to the opportunity. But after watching the Tamil original, she told Shaad, 'The role is boring."
It was Yash Chopra's final words that sealed the deal for her. He told Sandhya, 'You do this role according to you. You will breathe life into this role, and that's why I am bringing you in."
That encouragement was all Sandhya needed, and the rest is history.
First Published:
August 13, 2025, 13:20 IST
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