Mita Vashisht Reflects on Her Experience in Subhash Ghai's Taal

Mita Vashisht's Journey with Taal

Released on August 13, 1999, Subhash Ghai's Taal left a lasting impact on actress Mita Vashisht, who recalls her experience with mixed feelings. This film marked her entry into the commercial Hindi cinema landscape. She shared, “I was never in awe of Subhash Ghai despite his reputation as a star maker. He often claimed, ‘I have given many stars to the industry,’ to which I replied, ‘That’s fine, but I am already Mita Vashisht, thank you.’ We often joked about this dynamic.

Ghai had unique views on the portrayal of mainstream heroines, emphasizing that they should be beautiful yet not overly sensual, as they needed to be relatable enough to be brought home to meet one's mother. Vashisht noted that during that era, the industry had conventional standards for female leads, which provided her with valuable insights. She initially followed his direction but soon asserted her individuality, stating, ‘I cannot mimic you; I must embody Prabha as myself.’ This film was her first significant collaboration with a mainstream director at the peak of his career.

Initially hesitant to accept the role in Taal, Vashisht questioned the significance of her character. After receiving encouragement to embrace the opportunity, she engaged with Ghai about the role's depth. She humorously asked him if he was providing a character history or discussing what would actually be shown on screen, which surprised him. Their discussions led to a character portrayal that resonated with her personal style, as many of her outfits in the film were her own.

Reflecting on her co-star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vashisht noted that Rai was still new to the industry at that time, with her film Hum… Dil De Chuke Sanam yet to be released. While Rai's beauty was widely acknowledged, she had not yet achieved stardom. Vashisht described her as a young woman fresh from her Miss Universe experience, who often spoke about herself. Their interactions were limited, highlighting the contrasting backgrounds they came from, with Vashisht's extensive acting training versus the emerging trend of models transitioning into acting roles.

Vashisht recalled a moment during filming when they had to reshoot scenes featuring both actresses. Initially, she thought it was due to her performance, but Ghai explained that her strong screen presence overshadowed Rai's, necessitating the reshoots. This experience reinforced Vashisht's belief that every day on set was a learning opportunity.