Sushmita Sen reveals the real story behind her iconic red saree scene in ‘Main Hoon Na’: Farah Khan put a massive storm fan...

Sushmita Sen recalls shooting Main Hoon Na with Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan

It’s been over twenty years since Main Hoon Na first graced the big screens, yet few Bollywood moments have stood the test of time quite like Sushmita Sen’s breathtaking entrance as Miss Chandni Chopra.

Walking down a bright college hallway while wearing a gorgeous red saree, her hair blowing in the wind, and her effortless elegance, it wasn't just a scene but an emotion.

Sushmita is now disclosing the true story behind that iconic scene. The actress disclosed on a podcast with Divya Jain that although the scene appeared perfect on screen, it was extremely difficult to shoot.

“That red saree I was made to wear… it was freezing cold. On top of that, Farah Khan put a massive storm fan because Chandni’s hair needs to fly all the time. If Chandni is in the classroom, her hair is flying; if she’s crying, her hair is flying; even if it’s raining, her hair is flying. It was a mandatory requirement for the character,” she said, laughing at the memory.

But it wasn’t just the fan that made things challenging — the saree itself came with its own complications.

“When she told me I would be in a saree for the entire film, I said, ‘Please don’t do this to me. This is my first film with Shah Rukh; I want to wear 50,000 different costumes.’ But she was like, ‘Trust me, you’re in a saree and that’s it. The day I wore that red saree and walked out—the first change ever—Farah looked at me and said, ‘Kya lungi baandhi hai (Why have you worn it as a lungi)? Geeta, take her back.’ After that, Geeta tied it really low. I was worried the whole time—‘Bas yeh gir na jaye (It must not fall)!’ The pallu was kept very long.”

Directed by Farah Khan in her directorial debut, Main Hoon Na (2004) starred Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Zayed Khan, Suniel Shetty, and Amrita Rao.

The film followed Major Ram Sharma (Shah Rukh), who goes undercover at a university to protect a general’s daughter, only to lose his heart to the elegant Miss Chandni.

Two decades later, Sushmita’s red saree remains etched in Bollywood's history.