During the Galatta Plus Mega Pan India Roundtable 2023, Rani Mukerji opened up about her past experiences filming songs in extreme conditions, contrasting them with Karan Johar’s recent comments about Alia Bhatt’s shoot for a song in the same film. Rani pointed out that while Karan expressed worry about Alia’s filming conditions, no such care was shown to her in the past.
She recalled a particularly challenging experience while shooting the song ‘Tumhi Dekho Naa’ from ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ in freezing temperatures of minus 14 degrees. Rani highlighted how she had to be assisted due to the extreme cold, saying, “I was wearing a red saree in that song, and I actually froze. I couldn’t walk. Ayan (Mukerji) had to literally carry me to my car because I had frozen. If you see the song, in the lip-sync, my lips are frozen.”
Karan Johar had previously mentioned Alia Bhatt’s ordeal while shooting the song ‘Tum Kya Mile’ for ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,’ emphasizing the challenges of wearing thin chiffon sarees in freezing temperatures. Rani juxtaposed this, highlighting the lack of concern during her own challenging shoots, noting, “During my time, nobody asked me if I was feeling cold.”
Karan had also detailed the extremity of the conditions during Alia’s shoot, recalling his request for rain, which turned to ice before reaching the actors. He recounted the warnings from the health and safety department, concerned that the extreme weather could harm the cast.
In an earlier interaction with media, Alia Bhatt had spoken about the support provided during her challenging shoot, mentioning Ranveer Singh’s efforts to keep her warm between takes. She praised the team’s care while emphasizing her commitment to the performance despite the challenging conditions, saying, “I go with the flow and I am always focused on getting the job done.”
The contrasting experiences brought to light by Rani Mukerji serve as a reflection of the different working conditions and care shown to actors over time, raising important questions about the industry’s approach to managing extreme filming conditions.