Aishwarya Rai was freezing during cold nights, wearing a saree while shooting Mohabbatein but never complained, reveals Farah Khan

Aishwarya Rai was freezing in cold nights, wearing a saree while shooting Mohabbatein but never complained, reveals Farah Khan

It’s been over two decades since Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein released in 2000, but memories from the film’s set continue to resonate with those involved. Choreographer and filmmaker Farah Khan recently reminisced about her experience choreographing the musical sequences of the romantic drama and shared a remarkable anecdote involving Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Farah revealed that Aishwarya’s professionalism stood out during the shoot in London’s freezing temperatures. Dressed in a delicate white lace saree for one of the film’s most emotional sequences, Aishwarya was required to perform in harsh weather conditions without showing any discomfort. “Ash being a thorough professional, freezing in London, wearing a white lace saree, drenched, and she would not complain,” Farah said. “Her and Shah Rukh’s chemistry is something else in the film and that whole poetry of ‘Ek ladki thi anjaani si’ — I think that has become almost iconic because of how they did it."

In Mohabbatein, Aishwarya played the role of Megha, the lost love of Raj Aryan, portrayed by Shah Rukh Khan. Though her character dies early in the narrative, she continues to appear throughout the film as a spirit — a poetic and emotional symbol of undying love. Farah explained, “We were not supposed to know at that point whether Aishwarya was Shah Rukh’s imagination or not. He would see her in places and she was the spirit behind the love stories."

The choreography of the film’s songs played a significant role in its success. Recalling the filming process, Farah said, “We shot in London. We shot in freezing cold nights with rain and we went to Switzerland to shoot two songs. One of them was ‘Humko humi se chura lo’, which I think is one of the best songs in the film, really beautifully done."

Farah also shared her admiration for Shah Rukh Khan’s ease with choreography. While the younger cast members, including Uday Chopra, Shamita Shetty, Jimmy Sheirgill, Preeti Jhangiani, Kim Sharma, and Jugal Hansraj, rehearsed diligently for months, SRK brought a different energy to the floor. “With Shah Rukh I had done tons of movies by then. So, all these kids would do two to three months of rehearsals. And then, Shah Rukh would come and he would learn it in like five minutes, because he never comes for rehearsals. That was the amazing part of it," she said.

As Mohabbatein continues to hold a special place in Bollywood history, behind-the-scenes stories like these highlight the dedication and passion that brought its emotional resonance to life.