Farida Jalal says she predicted Aditya Chopra will ‘be the best in Bollywood’ during DDLJ shoot, recalls conversation with Yash Chopra: ‘I stood up…’

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Recalling the time she was offered the role of Kajol’s mother in DDLJ, Farida Jalal said, “I was in Hyderabad, we were shooting for Loafer that starred Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla. We were shooting for a night song and the next day was the pack up, I was not needed that day, so I was in my hotel room and the phone rang. It was Yash Chopra, I just stood up from my seat that time, he told me that Aditya was making a film and insisted on having me and Amrish Puri in the movie. Adi was very keen to have the two of us in the film. It was a big high for me to hear that, I told him I was very happy that he called, so he asked if he should send Adi to Hyderabad, and I told him were going to pack up and I would return to Mumbai the next day.”

She further added, “We then decided to meet in Mumbai, and I went to him, Adi narrated the story to me and told me about my role. It was something I needed, so I was like who wouldn’t want to play this role. Working with Yashji was like a tick on the bucket list, so I said yes with all my heart.”

Farida Jalal also went on to praise Aditya Chopra, who made his directorial debut with DDLJ. She said, “The perfection Adi had with his first film, I had said that time only that he would be the best in the business. How wouldn’t have DDLJ worked? There were so many blessings with him, he is so hard-working, and he was involved in the smallest of aspects of a film. Even his mom Pamela Chopra would visit the sets and help if needed.”

On the work front, Farida Jalal was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi.

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