Actress Sonam Khan shared a treasured experience from her early film career on social media, detailing how she was cast in the 1991 fantasy movie “Ajooba” after an unexpected meeting with iconic actor Shashi Kapoor.

Sonam, who portrayed Shehzadi Heena in the movie, disclosed on social media that she was not initially selected for the part in a touching post. But all changed when she happened to encounter Shashi Kapoor, who was so taken by her beauty that he said right away that she looked like a princess. This resulted in a casting change that happened very quickly. She thought of Kapoor’s generosity and grace throughout the Jaipur shooting, especially while they were recording the song “Main Mitti Ka Gudda, Tu Sone Ki Gudiya.”

Khan also conveyed her sincere appreciation for the generosity and encouragement she got as a novice, particularly from her co-star in the movie, the late Rishi Kapoor.

Sonam shared a picture from the movie and commented, “I wasn’t the first pick when I made ajoobamovie as Shehzadi Heena. Everything changed after a fortuitous encounter with Shashi Kapoor ji. He turned to his boss as soon as he spotted me and said, “She looks like a princess.” The actor who was first cast in the role was fired shortly after. (Please, no names.)

“Shashi Kapoor ji embodied the highest standards of decency, compassion, and consideration. For the song “Main Matti Ka Gudda, Tu Sone Ki Gudiya,” we filmed in Jaipur. Shashi ji would gently instruct the choreographer to alter a dance step if I was having trouble with it, saying, “Yeh bacchi hai, take it easy.” He was always cordial and protective, and that was his compassion. The renowned Bhanu Athaiya ji, who also won an Oscar for her famous work in #Gandhimovie, created my clothes for the movie.

“The crowds there went absolutely hysterical,” the post said. It was uncommon to see actors in public since this was before the social media era. The song was shot in a Jaipur tourist attraction, however I have to confess that I can’t remember the name of the palace. Please pardon me for it! However, I had to be led back to my hotel under police protection since the mob was so large. We were treated like kings and queens when we went to Russia for another shoot. We were all assisted in understanding the local language by a Russian translator. Throughout, Rishi ji was also quite helpful to a newcomer like myself. Peace be with you, #rishikapoor ji. Both of them will be missed for many years to come.

On the fifth anniversary of Rishi Kapoor’s passing, Sonam Khan shared this treasured recollection. After a valiant two-year fight with cancer, the actor unfortunately died on April 30, 2020, at the age of 67.