In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Mandira recounted the challenging start of her work on ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.’ The initial days, focused on the ‘Mehendi Laga Ke Rakhna’ song, were particularly tough for her. Despite her confidence in front of the camera, she found choreographed dance sequences daunting, and these experiences continue to haunt her in the form of nightmares about choreography.
Mandira, who portrayed Preeti Singh in the film, shared that she struggled to move her hips in the way Saroj Khan desired. She recalled being told that her dance movements resembled those of Sunny Deol, as she was not able to shake her hips. Despite her efforts, Mandira mentioned that she was unable to master the hip movements, no matter how hard she tried.
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To begin with, Mandira mentioned that the song was particularly challenging. She felt it would have been better if they had shot a few scenes first, allowing her to ease into the role. However, the first task was to film the song at Filmistan, where she wore a striking orange and purple outfit that was unique to her experience. Despite initially finding the outfit and the dance moves difficult, she grew to enjoy the process, eventually becoming more comfortable with the hip movements. She expressed that she wished she had started with a scene instead.
Mandira then recounted how Shah Rukh Khan was very supportive and accommodating, especially when she needed to do multiple takes for the song. In contrast, she mentioned that Kajol did not seem particularly welcoming or receptive to her.