Madhoo says she hid at her friend’s place for three days when her debut Phool Aur Kaante released; reveals why bonding with Ajay Devgn wasn’t instant

Madhoo said when she learnt that Phool Aur Kaante would open with Lamhe, starring Sridevi and Anil Kapoor, she thought there is no way she could compete with the greatness of a Yash Chopra film.

Madhoo made her debut with Ajay Devgn in Phool Aur Kaante. (Photo: Madhoo/Instagram, IMDb)

Actor Madhoo has revealed that she was so nervous during the release of her debut film Phool Aur Kaante that she hid at her best friend’s house for three days fearing backlash for her performance in the 1991 Ajay Devgn starrer. What made matters worse was that Phool Aur Kaante released alongside Lamhe, which was directed by Yash Chopra.

Madhoo recalled that when she learnt that her film would open with Lamhe, starring Sridevi and Anil Kapoor, she thought there is no way she could compete with the greatness of the cast and crew of the Yash Chopra film.

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“Phool Aur Kaante was released alongside Lamhe, which had Sridevi, Anil Kapoor and was directed by Yash Chopra. While here we were all… I thought to myself, ‘OMG what is going to happen?!’ I was hiding for three days at my best friend’s place, so that no one should come to see me at my house, no criticism reaches me.

“After three days my secretary called me and said, ‘Bete, come outside, the film is a hit and you are being praised a lot.’ That’s when I stepped out. It was a surreal feeling!” Madhoo said in an interview with Siddharth Kanan.

Phool Aur Kaante marked the debut of actor Ajay Devgn, who Madhoo said she didn’t instantly form a bond with. The actor said they weren’t buddies on the set because the “focus was different”.

“It wasn’t on friendship. He was a relaxed person, in his comfort zone with Veeru ji and all. But I was in the headspace to prove myself, so I didn’t become friends with anybody on that set, even though I was friendly.”

Things changed years later when Madhoo reunited with Ajay for the film Diljale. The 1996 action drama also starred Sonali Bendre and Madhoo recalled how the trio became good friends while shooting for the movie.

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“Between Phool Aur Kaante and Diljale, the experience that I had changed me and also Ajay. During Phool Aur Kaante, both of us were new, so we were relaxed in that sense. Even though there were other senior actors in the film, I felt even I was an experienced artiste. I was confident to do my job, irrespective of who was my co-star. We were friends but we didn’t do a film for many years.

Also Read | Madhoo says she is not in a good space with her heroes: ‘I decided that I didn’t want any contact’

“When Diljale happened, we both had tasted success with several other films. That was the most amazing experience for Ajay, me, Sonali. The bond that was built made me realise how fun a guy Ajay is. Post shoot he would drive us to the mountains at night and we really had a great time. Which is why Sonali and I are still great friends and greet each other with fondness when we meet today,” she added.

Ajay Devgn, meanwhile, will be next seen in the supernatural horror Shaitaan, set to release on March 8.

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