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News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
How Yash Chopra Convinced Sandhya Mridul To Play A Key Role In Saathiya
Last Updated: 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 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sandhya Mridul recalls how she was just 'done' with Bollywood after some bitter experiences but Yash Chopra persuaded her to do 'Saathiya': 'I told him role is boring'
Sandhya Mridul 's journey began on the small screen, where she rose to prominence with Mahesh Bhatt 's acclaimed television series Abhiman. In a candid conversation, she revealed that Bhatt's habit of praising her acting in front of influential industry figures led to a wave of film offers. But the reality of the Hindi film industry didn't sit well with her, especially the tendency to reduce female actors to mere 'pretty faces.' After repeatedly being approached for superficial roles and even being asked to appear in bikinis, she unexpectedly got a call from Yash Raj Films for a pivotal role in Saathiya. 'I got a call saying that Yash Raj Films is trying to call me. I thought somebody is pranking me because I was a TV actor and I had not worked for three months during that time,' she recalled. When she finally met Yash Chopra , her first thought was, 'I met Yash ji himself and I was like why is he meeting me?' Chopra's warmth took her by surprise. '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. Also, she loves you, we love you.' He was lovely. He told me, 'Beta, ye picture kar le. This film will do well.'' To his astonishment, Sandhya turned him down. 'Mereko pictures nahin karni hai,' she told him, explaining that she simply didn't understand Bollywood. Laughing at the memory, she added, 'I said this to the king of Bollywood.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dermatologist: Just Add 1 Drop Of This Household Item To Any Dark Spot And Wait 3 Minutes Undo But instead of being offended, Yash Chopra only admired her honesty. 'You are a truthful person. We are not like that. Hum achhe se rahenge, hum bade pyaar se tereko rakhenge,' he assured her, persuading her to at least meet the film's director. That meeting with Shaad Ali took an unexpected turn when Sandhya realised they shared a past connection, which made her more open to the idea. Still, after watching the Tamil original, she wasn't impressed with the character. 'I came to Shaad and told him role 'it is boring',' she admitted. It was Yash Chopra's final words that sealed the deal for her. Sandhya recalled, "He told me, 'You do this role according to you. You will breathe life into this role, and that's why I am bringing you in.' His encouragement made all the difference."
Indian Express
12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sandhya Mridul swore off Bollywood after bitter experiences, recalls how Yash Chopra persuaded her to do Saathiya: ‘Hum achhe se rahenge'
Sandhya Mridul began her career in television, making a name for herself with Mahesh Bhatt's critically acclaimed TV show Abhiman. In a recent interaction, Sandhya admitted that Mahesh Bhatt often praised her acting in front of industry folks, which led to many offers from the Hindi film industry. However, she revealed that she didn't like the way the film industry functioned, where female actors were often reduced to just a pretty face. After getting multiple offers to play shallow roles and asked to wear bikini in films, Sandhya received a surprising call from Yash Raj Films, offering her a key role in their film Saathiya. Speaking about that moment, she said, 'I got a call saying that Yash Raj Films is trying to call me. I thought somebody is pranking me because I was a TV actor and I had not worked for three months during that time.' Recalling her first meeting with Yash Chopra, Sandhya shared, 'I met Yash ji himself and I was like why is he meeting me?' Talking about Yash Chopra's reaction, she said, '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. Also, she loves you, we love you.' He was lovely. He told me, 'Beta, ye picture kar le (Do this film). This film will do well.' Initially, Sandhya refused the offer and told him, 'Mereko pictures nahin karni hai' (I don't want to do films) 'because I don't understand Bollywood.' She added, 'I said this to the king of Bollywood.' Despite the refusal, Yash Chopra's reaction was the most heartwarming. According to Sandhya, he said, 'You are a truthful person. We are not like that. Hum achhe se rahenge, hum bade pyaar se tereko rakhenge (Don't worry we are not like those people, we will keep you nicely).' She recalled how Chopra insisted she meet the director of the film and once again requested her to join the project. After meeting Saathiya's director, Shaad Ali, Sandhya realised she shared an old connection with him, which made her feel more inclined to accept the role. However, upon watching the Tamil version of Saathiya, she found her role underwhelming. 'I came to Shaad and told him role 'it is boring'. Yash Chopra then told me, 'You do this role according to you. You will breathe life into this role, and that's why I am bringing you in.' He was too encouraging.'
Hindustan Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
BJP in Odisha plans mega celebrations on first anniversary of Mohan Majhi govt
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha, under chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, is set to celebrate their first anniversary with a host of events starting Thursday, which includes high-profile events, cultural programmes and development initiatives ahead of a major state-level function on June 12. Some of the planned events during this period are exclusive dinners with the chief minister for corporate leaders, civil society members, MPs/MLAs, and media personnel. A mega outreach programme talking about the achievements of the Majhi government, a 5-minute theme song and a 25-minute long thematic audio-visual documentary are also part of the celebrations. 'The centerpiece of the celebrations will be a grand state-level function scheduled for June 12 at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend. It would be held at the same scale as the launch of the Subhadra scheme for Odisha women by PM Modi on September 17 last year,' said an official familiar with the events. The official said specially branded vans will go around all the 314 blocks of Odisha from June 5-19 to amplify the government's achievements and raise awareness among people about key governance reforms, flagship schemes and public service delivery initiatives. From next week, celebrations will be held across the state with thematic state-level functions. On June 13, a programme on women will be held in Berhampur, while on June 18, a function dedicated to youths will take place in Dhenkanal. Similarly, a programme on tribals is slated for Mayurbhanj on June 19 followed by a special event for farmers in Bargarh district on June 20. The government's monthly magazine, Pragati Prabaha, will feature success stories of various government departments on themes like women empowerment, agriculture, industries, Odia asmita, governance, health, education, infrastructure, and sports. The tourism department will highlight achievements in in-flight magazines and display promotional content at major airports during the Rath Yatra period later this month. The Odia language and literature department will organise an artist camp on the theme 'Vision Odisha @2036', engaging institutions like Lalit Kala Akademi. A series of theatre performances at Rabindra Mandap will be held between June 12 and June 19 to celebrate Odisha's stalwarts like Madhusudan Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Sara Das, Bhima Bhoi and Rama Devi. In Jaydev Bhawan of Bhubaneswar, classic Odia films like Abhiman, Sesha Shrabana, and Sita Bibaha will be screened and other key locations like Berhampur, Rourkela, and Sambalpur. Musical evenings at Bhanja Kala Mandap will pay tribute to singing legends like Bhikari Bal and Akshaya Mohanty. The Panchayati Raj and drinking water department will organise Vikas Melas and Pallishree Melas across districts, while the Mission Shakti department will host a traditional food festival to celebrate Odisha's culinary heritage. The school and mass education department will organise online essay and painting competitions on 'Vision Odisha @2036' and 'Viksit Bharat @2047'. Slamming the elaborate celebration, opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said the government should introspect. 'What has the government achieved in the last 1 year except renaming schemes started by Naveen Patnaik? Subhdara scheme has failed to make any impact and many farmers could not get ₹800 a quintal bonus for paddy. Law and order condition has worsened with reports of murders, rape and snatching becoming rampant. The government should focus more on work instead of bragging about their achievements,' said BJD spokesman Pratap Deb. However, BJP state general secretary Jatin Mohanty said the BJD should be the last party to criticise BJP. 'The amount of money the previous government spent in projecting VK Pandian as successor to Naveen Patnaik would put the budget of a state government department to shame. In just about a year, we have managed to fulfil many of the promises that we made including the Subhadra scheme which was our promise to the women of the state. The celebration of one year is our way of reaching out to people and educating them about achievements of the government as well as development programmes that are in the pipeline,' Mohanty said.
