Sushmita Sen Was Told By Mahesh Bhatt She "Can't Act To Save Her Life." What Happened Next

Sushmita Sen made her Bollywood debut with Mahesh Bhatt's 1996 film Dastak

Sushmita Sen, who, after her big Miss Universe win, stepped into the Hindi film industry with Mahesh Bhatt's 1996 thriller Dastak, in a recent interview with Twinkle Khanna for Tweak India's The Icons, recalled her experience of working with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. She recalled how she came onboard the project and told Twinkle Khanna during the interview: "I was in LA when I came down to India to visit my family when I got a call from Mahesh Bhatt's office. I was like, 'Director Mahesh Bhatt?' because nobody ever called me for anything. He called and said let's just meet for a cup of coffee. He met and said 'what I want is I want you to play Sushmita Sen in a movie'."

Recalling the incident when she wasn't able to get the scene right, the actress said, "I am doing this mahurat shot jaha pe I pull out my earring and throw it at somebody. I am doing it so bad I can't even begin to tell you. Yeah, he's a fabulous director I will tell you that... He broke his inhibitions in front of 40 media people, and 20 production guys, publicly attacking me." The Mai Hoon Na actress recalled that she told Mahesh Bhatt, "I told you I can't act. Why did you call me for this? I don't know how to act," to which the filmmaker replied. "Kya leke aaye ho (what have you brought)? Playing Miss Universe like this on camera? She can't act to save her life."

Sushmita Sen added during the interview, "I got very angry and started walking off the set" and she told Mahesh Bhatt, "'No, you don't talk to me like that.' I was walking away and he said, 'That's anger! Go back and give it.' And I did'." And that's how Sushmita Sen did the shot.