Meeting Amitabh Bachchan for the first time is a moment many actors dream of, and for veteran actress Shilpa Shirodkar, it became an unforgettable memory that she still cherishes decades later. Appearing as a special guest on the upcoming episode of India’s Best Dancer Season 5, Shilpa revisited the moment she first came face-to-face with the Bollywood icon while shooting the song Kagaz Kalam from the 1991 film Hum.
The nostalgic conversation began after contestants delivered a high-energy performance to the iconic track, prompting Shilpa to take viewers back to the film’s shoot at the historic Fernhill Palace in Ooty, where she had her first-ever interaction with Amitabh Bachchan.
Shilpa Shirodkar remembers her first meeting with Amitabh Bachchan
Recalling the memorable day, Shilpa revealed that she was still new to the film industry and had always admired Amitabh Bachchan from afar. However, nothing prepared her for the moment he walked onto the set.
Sharing the incident, she said, “Aur yeh jo gaana tha, iss gaane ke doran maine pehli baar Amit ji ko dekha hain. Aur abhi bhi mujhe woh shot pata hain aur yaad hain.”
She went on to explain that the entire team had already completed rehearsals when excitement suddenly spread across the set.
“Hum log poori rehearsal kar chuke the aur suddenly sab bolne lage, ‘Amit ji aa gaye, Amit ji aa gaye!'”
Shilpa described looking down the corridor and seeing Amitabh Bachchan make his entrance in an electric blue overcoat paired with his signature oversized glasses.
‘I had forgotten my steps,’ says Shilpa
The actress admitted that the sight of the megastar left her completely overwhelmed.
“Aur maine aise hi corridor mein dekha, so there was this 6 foot something man in an electric blue overcoat with Amit ji’s famous big glasses and he was walking in. Aur main yahan pe thandi pad gayi thi.”
Explaining what she meant, Shilpa said she became so nervous that she completely froze. She forgot all her dance steps and even her palms started sweating as she watched Amitabh Bachchan walk towards her.
She added, “I had forgotten my step, main sab bhul chuki thi and haath matlab literally paseene paseene hogaye.”
The nervousness only grew stronger when the superstar approached her himself.
Amitabh Bachchan’s simple introduction left a lasting impression
According to Shilpa, Amitabh Bachchan greeted her with warmth despite being one of the biggest stars in Indian cinema.
Recalling the interaction, she shared, “Aur there was Amit ji walking in and he comes and he says, ‘Hello, I’m Amitabh Bachchan.’ Aur main, I was so scared, so scared!”
The actress laughed while remembering how she struggled to compose herself during the brief conversation. She concluded the anecdote by saying, “But this was the song where I met the love of my life for the first time.”
The heartfelt story left judges Karisma Kapoor, Jaaved Jaaferi, Terence Lewis, and Geeta Kapur visibly moved, offering viewers a rare glimpse into one of Shilpa Shirodkar’s most treasured memories from her early days in Bollywood.
India’s Best Dancer Season 5 airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 PM on Sony Entertainment Television.
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