Naseeruddin Shah Felt Shy Romancing Sonam in Tridev

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah felt awkward while filming a romantic song with Sonam in the 1989 movie Tridev because she was younger than his daughter, according to director Rajiv Rai. Rajiv shared in an interview that Naseeruddin was shy about dancing to the track "Tirchi Topiwale" and worried about how he would manage the steps. The director told him to treat the dance like acting and adapt the steps to fit his skills, which helped the actor feel more comfortable on set.

Script Details

Before shooting, Naseeruddin also told Rajiv that his daughter from his first marriage, Heeba Shah, was older than Sonam, wanting to point out the age gap. Rajiv replied that it did not matter since they looked fine together on screen and cinema is not a documentary. Sonam, who was 19 at the time, said she was eager to work with Naseeruddin because he is one of the best actors. Rajiv later married Sonam in 1991, and she left the film industry three years later after having a son. The couple separated in 2001 and got a divorce in 2016.

Context

Rajiv Rai is best known for directing the 1997 action thriller Gupt: The Hidden Truth, which starred Bobby Deol, Kajol, and Manisha Koirala. Tridev featured a large star cast that also included Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Madhuri Dixit, Sangeeta Bijlani, Anupam Kher, and Amrish Puri.