Farah Khan Once Told Vidya Balan She ‘Can’t Dance’; Actress Took It Up As Challenge And Proved Her Wrong With Bhool Bhulaiyaa’s ‘Mere Dholna’, Recalls Priyadarshan

Priyadarshan shared how Vidya Balan trained hard to master Bhool Bhulaiyaa’s ‘Mere Dholna’ song after Farah Khan once told her she “can’t dance.”

When we talk about Priyadarshan’s filmography, we instantly recall his 2007 blockbuster Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Afterall, the film gifted Bollywood one of its most unforgettable climaxes: Vidya Balan’s hauntingly graceful performance to ‘Mere Dholna’ song.

In a recent interview with Variety, the filmmaker looked back at this iconic film. He recalled how Vidya once told him how choreographer Farah Khan had dismissed her dancing skills, saying she “can’t dance.” Instead of feeling defeated, the actress took it as a challenge. She practised for 35- 40 days to perfect the iconic ‘Mere Dholna’ song from Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

Dancing alongside Vineeth Radhakrishnan, one of India’s finest classical dancers, Vidya matched his energy and left everyone. Farah Khan, who had doubted her dancing skills earlier, ended up praising her performance.

Vidya Balan even won admiration from veteran dancer‑actress Shobhana, who had originally played the lead in Fazil’s Manichitrathazhu, later remade as Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

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Priyadarshan recalled, “One day Vidya came and told me I will never forget this song in my life because someone who once told me I cannot dance, Farah Khan, has appreciated me for it. And Shobhana was also called and praised. She said I will never be able to repeat it but this is the best thing you have done for me. So this is something I remember very well.”

Released in 2007, Bhool Bhulaiyaa became one of the year’s biggest hits, blending psychological thrills with rib-tickling comedy. Alongside Vidya and Akshay Kumar, the ensemble cast also cemented its place in pop culture.

Nearly two decades later, Priyadarshan is now set to revisit the horror-comedy genre with his upcoming film Bhooth Bangla, releasing on April 10. The film reunites him with his frequent collaborators, Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Rajpal Yadav, while also marking one of the posthumous appearances of veteran actor Asrani.