Manisha Koirala reveals Vidhu Vinod Chopra told her ‘you are very bad’ at acting

Manisha Koirala got candid about a conversation she had with 1942: A Love Story director Vidhu Vinod Chopra before she was signed on for the film. Speaking with Pinkvilla in a new interview, Manisha shared how Vidhu was dismissive about her acting chops during the reading session of the film. (Also read: Sakal Ban: Manisha Koirala, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari add grace to first song from Heeramandi. Watch)
Recalling the incident from her early days in the industry, Manisha said: “There was an incident during 1942: A Love Story. During my first reading of the scene, I was horrible, and Vidhu Vinod Chopra clearly told me, ‘You are very bad.’ So, I requested him to give me 24 hours. If, even then, you don’t find me good, I’ll accept it.”
She further added how she did not know much about acting back then and had to give her best shot just through preparation. “But then, I went home. I didn’t know what was good acting or bad acting; this was my third or fourth film. I had only 3-4 sheets in my hand, and I read them countless times. I went back, did the screen test again, and, of course, I was accepted,” she recalled.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 1942: A Love Story was set against the backdrop of social and political unrest amid India’s revolutionary movement in the 1940s, and starred Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala in leading roles. It also featured actors Jackie Shroff, Anupam Kher, Danny Denzongpa, Pran, Ashish Vidyarthi, among others. The film is also remembered for its timeless songs like Kuch Na Kaho and Rim Jhim.
Manisha Koirala is gearing up for the release of her next, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. The first song from the album, titled Sakal Ban, was released on Saturday. It featured Manisha dancing with Richa Chadha and Aditi Rao Hydari.