Deepshikha Nagpal opened up on how her technical understanding of filmmaking played a key role in executing the risqué scene in Koyla.
In Rakesh Roshan’s Koyla (1997), Deepshikha Nagpal grabbed eyeballs with her role of Bindiya, a dancer caught in the crossfire of power and desire. Though her screen time was brief, her bold scene with Amrish Puri in the film became one of the most talked-about moments, sparking controversy.
Recently, in a chat with Hindi Rush, Deepshikha got candid about what went behind this ‘suggestive’ sequence where her character is seen ‘baring it all’ in front of Amrish Puri‘s character Raja Saab.
Deepshikha shared that when she first read the scene, she was curious about how Rakesh Roshan planned to shoot it. She mentioned asking him when they would film “that” particular scene, to which he responded by checking if she remembered all the details.
Upon confirming that she did, he went on to explain the scene to her, while her mother was present in the room. The Badshah actress said that she respected the filmmaker for taking the time to sit down and clearly walk her through everything.
“I told him, ‘Don’t worry,’ and then I explained to him exactly how we were going to shoot the scene. I told him to keep the camera at shoulder height so that my tube top isn’t visible. That height made it look like I was taking off my dress, but I was still fully clothed. I wore a swimming costume for the shot from behind, and it was done without any problem. I was still wearing my jeans, by the way, when everything was shot. He (Roshan) was surprised that the scene was completed that easily,” said Deepshikha.
She added, “I know that I am wearing everything while shooting, but when you look at the scene, you just think, ‘Oh my god! looks like she is stripping.’ If I didn’t have the technical knowledge, I would never have been able to do it.”
Reflecting on the backlash she received for this bold scene, Deepshikha recalled how people close to her reacted strongly, questioning her choices and criticizing her for pulling off such a scene. Their harsh words deeply affected her, and she admitted to crying often during that time.
The actress also remembered how her daughter, upset by the reactions, would break Koyla‘s CD.
Deepshikha said she was left wondering what she had done wrong, as it felt like that one scene had come to define her entire career, with others suggesting that her children might lose respect for her because of it.
Set in a rugged coal-mining region, Koyla features Shah Rukh Khan as Shankar, a mute servant who rises against a cruel landlord, Raja Saab (Amrish Puri), to rescue a young woman, Gauri (Madhuri Dixit), from a forced marriage.
