Lara Dutta celebrates No Entry's 20th anniversary with behind-the-scenes details: 'I was offered the role played by Bipasha Basu'

Lara Dutta recalls working on No Entry film with Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Fardeen Khan

Bollywood actress Lara Dutta Bhupathi became a household name with her role in No Entry, which also stars Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor and Fardeen Khan in the pivotal roles. The film has completed two decades, and the actress has penned a lengthy note on the special day.

Lara shared a poster of the film and started her note in the caption, “20 years of NO ENTRY!!! Crazy how fast time flies!! This film will always remain one of my absolute favourites forever!!! My first foray into comedy…..”

No Entry also features Bipasha Basu, Esha Deol and Celina Jaitley as the female lead

The actress further revealed that she was offered both roles of Bobby and Kajol, played by Bipasha. She recalled, “I was offered both the role I played and the role that was eventually played by Bipasha….. I remember telling  @aneesbazmee that the character of Kajal was so unlike anything I’ve ever encountered and I would have to really challenge myself to play a highly suspicious, loud, punjabi wife…”

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A post shared by Lara Dutta Bhupathi (@larabhupathi)

The actress further shared, “Surprisingly I owned every bit of the character and had an absolute blast portraying her!!! Having @anilskapoor by my side, elevating our performance and every scene, was an absolute treat for a relative newcomer….

Lara has shared her experience of working with Salman and penned, “I hadn’t yet done PARTNER with @beingsalmankhan so having him on set was quite intimidating….. it was like the superstar had arrived ! But he was chilled out and fun and charming as hell!”

She also reflected on working with Fardeen and penned, “@fardeenfkhan was a revelation when it came to comedy and it was amazing to see how effortless it was for him.”

She further noted, “@celinajaitlyofficial , @imeshadeol and I formed a bond that went beyond colleagues to a very special, rare friendship in the film industry. @bipashabasu was stunning and combined sex appeal and comic timing perfectly….”

Lara further recalled the shooting of the film and added, “I remember finishing shooting for AISA JAADU DALA RE ( Khakee) and leaving straight from the studio for the airport to catch my flight to South Africa for our first schedule….. and landing there and driving straight to set for my first shot! It was where I’m arguing with my maid asking her why her ‘choli’ was so well ventilated!”

She expressed her excitement by writing, “I was soooo excited to work with @aneesbazmee ! He was an absolute dream and delight to work with! I’m so glad I have had the opportunity in my career to be directed by him!”

The actress concluded her post by writing, “South Africa, Mauritius, Thailand, Mumbai…… NO ENTRY was a whirlwind of mad fun, incredible co stars a wonderful producer @boney.kapoor and till today remains one of the most iconic comedy films of our time…”

Filmmaker Anees Bazmee also celebrated the 20th anniversary of No Entry with a throwback video and penned, “20 years ago, we set out to create laughter that would unite generations. Looking back at the making of “No Entry,” I’m filled with nostalgia and gratitude for every moment, every challenge, and every smile shared on set. Here’s to the memories, the incredible team, and the timeless joy this film still brings. The journey continues…”

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For the unversed, No Entry was released in theatres on August 26, 2005. The film was the highest-grossing Indian film at the time and received several accolades.

The film revolves around Kishan and Sunny, whose lives get messy after their womanising friend Prem sets them up with a hooker named Bobby, leading to a web of lies and confusion.

The makers have recently announced a sequel, titled No Entry Mein Entry, with Varun Dhawan and Arjun Kapoor in lead roles. Other details of the film are yet to be unveiled.