Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s perfectionism showed in Kareeb’s filming. Shabana was hidden until her debut and faced challenges. Bobby Deol had a tense moment with a water snake.
Kareeb released in 1998.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s reputation as a perfectionist on set is well known, and filmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra recently shared some fascinating insights into his working style during Kareeb. The film starred Bobby Deol, who was still finding his footing in Bollywood, alongside Shabana (introduced as Neha). Years later, Shabana stepped away from films and tied the knot with actor Manoj Bajpayee.
Siddharth recalled that VVC was so particular about Shabana’s debut that he insisted she stay hidden from the public eye until the big reveal. “Vinod sir had kept me in-charge of Shabana. She was supposed to be kept in an apartment somewhere in Bandra. He wanted the world to see her only the day he brings her out,” he revealed in a chat with Siddharth Kannan.
Years later, in a 2008 interview with Rediff, Shabana opened up about being forced to change her name and how she never actually wanted to act. “But they saw me on television and coaxed me to do the film. They chased me. I was not interested and refused. They spoke to my parents and got their approval,” she shared.
Siddharth also recalled a nerve-wracking moment on set when a water snake made an unexpected appearance during the filming of Chori Chori. Bobby, submerged in water for the shot, spotted the snake and immediately called out to the director. But VVC, determined to capture the perfect lighting, refused to cut the shot. “There was a water snake close to Bobby and he kept saying ‘Vinod, there’s a snake here,’” Siddharth recounted. Once the take was complete, Bobby bolted in the opposite direction.
Reflecting on the experience in the same Filmfare interview, Bobby admitted that while Shabana had a “tough time” with VVC constantly yelling at her, he himself was treated differently. “No one pulled me up, maybe because my father’s famous,” he had said.
