Esha Deol Reflects on 21 Years of Yuva: A Journey with Mani Ratnam

Celebrating 21 Years of Yuva

Esha Deol reminisces about her journey with the film Yuva, which has now completed 21 years. Initially, she was approached for the Tamil version, Aayutha Ezhuthu, by Mani Ratnam. She recalls a moment when Shaad Ali visited her home while she was in a simple cotton salwar kurta, expressing that this was the look Mani wanted for the film. Esha was surprised and curious about the project.

Her excitement grew upon hearing Mani Ratnam's name. After meeting him in Chennai, they worked on her Tamil language skills, as the dialect required for the film differed from her own. This collaboration led to the filming of the Tamil version.

Esha describes the experience of working with Mani Ratnam, noting that he preferred early morning shoots to capture the magic hour. During one of these shoots, he surprised her by asking if she would take on the Hindi version of Yuva. Overjoyed, she immediately agreed, marking her first collaboration with Ajay Devgan.

Reflecting on her time with Mani, Esha praises him as a remarkable director who brings out the best in his actors. She feels fortunate to have worked with him on both the Tamil and Hindi versions of the film.

Esha confirms that all three leading actresses, including herself, Rani Mukerji, and Kareena Kapoor, adhered to a no-makeup policy during filming. The cinematographer, Ravi Chandran, ensured they maintained a natural look, which Esha found beautiful and refreshing.

When asked if Yuva is a film she would want her daughters to see, Esha confidently states that it is one of the best films of her career, and her daughters have already enjoyed the songs.