Sushmita Sen in `Main Hoona Na`
Sushmita Sen has been making waves with her achingly tender performance as transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant in the web series, 'Taali.' In a new interview with Humans of Bombay, she reflected upon her role in Shah Rukh Khan's film, 'Main Hoon Na.' The 1994 Miss Universe winner spoke about the unique trajectory and 'small but powerful role' of her character, Chandni Chopra - which was re-affirmed by late film maestro, Yash Chopra as well.
Sushmita said that Main Hoon Na became career-defining because everybody âkeeps going back' to the film. Recalling a pivotal moment during the film's final edit, Sushmita said that director Farah Khan had apologized about her role in the film being fleeting.
"She (Farah Khan) called and said, 'Sush, I have seen the final edit and I have to apologise to you. Shah Rukh of course has the role, Zayed and Amrita have a role, but you are barely there'. So I was like, 'That is okay Farah, we had a deal, you kept through the promise, and I kept through it. It is done, now don't worry about it'. But inside I was thinking, 'Oh no, I am barely there!' The (Main Hoon Na) screening happened at Film City. My phone starts ringing. And I don't know why Yash ji (Yash Chopra) is calling me, the whole gamut of the industry is calling. So ab darr darr ke (scared) I pick up the phone."
She remembered the unexpected heartfelt praise showered upon her: âYou have done amazing work, could not take my eyes off of you.' Fans told her they wanted to see her in the second half of the film and make appearances in multiple frames. Sushmita confessed she had avoided the screening, fearing disappointment since Farah Khan, the film's director, had mentioned her limited presence.
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She then added, "From the response I knew something had changed. The role had not changed, the impact had. The role was still as small as it was, but it was powerful enough."
One of the most remarkable outcomes post the film's release was the transformation of the movie's promotional posters. Originally featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Amrita Rao, and Zayed Khan predominantly, the posters were revamped to spotlight Sushmita alongside Shah Rukh. This shift was a nod to the power of the audience's palpable demands to see the actress more prominently and publicly associated with the film.
"The reaction of the audience was so intense that the first posters of Main Hoon Na all over Bombay had Zayed Khan, Amrita Rao and Shah Rukh and Shah Rukh alone. By Saturday, after the film had released, there was Shah Rukh and me on every poster." That is the power of people and audience, and I have huge respect for that... the audiences were like 'We want her, we want to see her up there with him (Shah Rukh)'. Farah called me and said 'All the posters were being brought down and new ones are being put up. You better go for a drive today'. And I did."
'Main Hoon Na,' Farah Khan's directorial debut, featured Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Suniel Shetty, Amrita Rao, and Zayed Khan. The film centers on Major Ram Sharma (played by Shah Rukh) undertaking a covert mission as a university student to shield a general's daughter, Amrita, from a treacherous soldier.
