Apara Mehta recalls working for 17 days without sleep on Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas and Ekta Kapoor's Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi: 'It was only death after...'
Balancing two of the biggest projects of her career,
Apara Mehta
faced a whirlwind of fame, exhaustion, and silent dreams in the year 2000. As she juggled the emotionally charged sets of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and the grandeur of Devdas, the veteran actress reached her breaking point—working non-stop for 17 days without sleep.
In a candid new interview, Apara opened up about that overwhelming period, the call that changed her life, and why Devdas was more than just a film—it was a dream quietly fulfilled.
In conversation with Friday Talkies, Apara recalled the intense phase in 2000 when she juggled shoots for both Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Devdas, working non-stop for 17 days.
She shared that the opportunity came unexpectedly while she was making aloo tikki during Diwali. To her surprise, it was
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
on the phone, offering her a small but significant role in Devdas.
She was later told the recommendation came from Bhansali's sister, Leela Behn.
Initially scheduled to shoot for 12 days for the mujra sequence 'Kaahe Ched Ched Mohe,' the shoot got extended to 17 days. Apara tried to manage her time with Kyunki, but couldn't adjust either schedule—leaving her to power through both projects without a break, even filming late nights for the daily soap.
She also shared that working non-stop for 17 straight days left her completely exhausted, both mentally and physically.
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She recalled reaching a point where she felt there was nothing beyond that phase but death, not even the option of going to a hospital. Despite being severely sleep-deprived—often arriving on the Devdas set with bloodshot eyes—she described the experience as unforgettable, saying the grandeur of the Devdas set felt nothing short of heavenly.
Apara pushed through the exhaustion because Devdas was her dream project—one she had quietly manifested.
Despite the physical toll, being part of the film was a deeply personal milestone that made every sleepless night worth it.
In the same interview, the actress revealed that when she first read about Sanjay Leela Bhansali making Devdas, she secretly wished to be part of it. Though she never voiced it out loud, she hoped that if she ever did a film, it would be something as grand and timeless as Devdas.
Apara Mehta, best known for her role as Savita Virani in the Smriti Irani-starrer Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, appeared as Badi Aapa in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas, starring
Shah Rukh Khan
and
Aishwarya Rai
.
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