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It’s been more than two decades, yet Farah Khan’s debut film Main Hoon Na (2004) continues to feel as fresh and enchanting as ever. From the melodies to Chandni’s iconic avatar and Sanju’s transformation, the film has become a cult favourite — one that audiences still celebrate for its fairytale charm and Shah Rukh Khan’s timeless romance. But behind all that magic was an enormous amount of hard work. After years of silence, Sushmita Sen has now opened up about shooting several scenes in harsh weather conditions.
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Speaking to Divya Jain, Sushmita recalled the memorable red saree sequence with SRK. She said, “That red saree I was made to wear came out 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 added that Farah insisted on keeping Chandni in a saree throughout the film—something Sushmita initially resisted. “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.’”
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Sushmita also recalled how Farah immediately rejected the way she had draped the saree.
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“The day I wore that red saree and walked out—the first change ever—Farah looked at me and said, ‘Kya lungi baandhi hai? Geeta, take her back.’ After that, Geeta tied it really low. I was worried the whole time—‘Bas yeh gir na jaye!’ The pallu was kept very long.”
She then described shooting the now-iconic moment with Shah Rukh Khan. “When the scene happened and I came walking across, SRK being SRK opened his arms. I playfully lifted my hand so the pallu would brush his face. These are moments that only happen on set-when actors capture magic in the moment. But Farah being Farah made us do it again and again because she wanted multiple angles. That moment set the tone for Chandni and Ram.”
Despite the demanding retakes, Sushmita praised Farah for keeping her promise. “Though my role wasn’t huge, she made sure Chandni made an impact every time she appeared on screen.”
