'Akshay Kumar would steal and hide people's watches, Ajay Devgn acted like ghost to scare people': Shilpa Shirodkar recalls working with Bollywood pranksters

Time of India

22-07-2025

Actor
Shilpa Shirodkar
recently spoke about her journey in the industry and some of the unforgettable moments she experienced with big names, including
Amitabh Bachchan
and
Rajinikanth
. She also referred to
Akshay Kumar
and
Ajay
Devgn as the biggest pranksters in the industry.
Shilpa recalls working with Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth
In a conversation with Pinkvilla, Shilpa recalled working with Amitabh Bachchan and how he once displayed a lovable gesture towards her during the shoot of 'Hum'. She added that Big B taught her the value of discipline and the importance of being punctual. She described him as a 'director's actor' who never behaved like a superstar on set.
Shilpa Shirodkar opens up on getting rejected for 'Chaiyya Chaiyya': 'They thought I was too fat so they opted for Malaika Arora'
She met with an accident while shooting a song in 'Hum' and was unable to walk for a week.
During that time, Amitabh sent her some flowers, which she found adorable.
Shilpa noted that superstar Rajinikanth shared a similarly humble nature. The two often conversed in Marathi on set.
Shilpa shares how mischievous Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar were on set
When asked about the mischief-makers in the industry, Shilpa didn't hesitate to name Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar as the biggest pranksters. 'Ajay was a real prankster. We were shooting in Shimla, and he had made up this elaborate story about there being a ghost in our hotel.
In the middle of the night, there were knocks on my door, and I was sharing a room with both my parents and my hairdresser. People were running in the lobby wearing white bed sheets, and we found out in the morning that it was Ajay.
'
Akshay used to playfully steal and hide other people's watches — he even swiped someone's watch on occasion. 'He would then tell me to ask them the time. Now, I wasn't part of the prank, so I was equally confused when the person would frantically start looking for their watch.
People used to get mad, and the shooting would be halted, but it was still a good bit of fun,' Shilpa added.
The 'Kishen Kanhaiya' actress dismissed the common perception that Govinda was often late to sets, stating that in her experience, he was always punctual and professional. She emphasised that none of their shoots were ever delayed because of him, and that all their films together were completed and released on time.