Sholay’s mausi insisted on finishing work despite getting paralytic attack that left half her body immobile, asked, ‘Who is Satyajit Ray’ after being offered Shatranj Ke Khilari

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The director gave a heart-wrenching example of Mishra’s professionalism and shared that while shooting her last film, Leela suffered a paralytic attack but continued shooting until the scene was over. “I heard a story that when she was doing her very last film, she got a paralytic attack while shooting. Half of her body became paralysed, and the shooting stopped. People got in a frenzy and were making plans to send her back to Mumbai, but she said, ‘No, we still have one shot left.’ She told the crew to shoot her from the side that was still mobile, and she finished that scene. She went to Mumbai after finishing that film, and she died soon after.”

Sai said that Leela was very particular about getting compensated for her work and that payment was high on her priority list. “She was very particular about her payments, and she was always paid Rs 1000 per day, no matter the length of the role. When people offered her a role in Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khilari, she didn’t even know who Ray was. All she enquired about was her payment and whether she will be paid her usual amount or not.”