When Jaya Prada was made to stand on one leg in high fever after reporting 5 minutes late for shoot: ‘I started crying’

Jaya Prada’s one of the most popular Hindi films is Sharaabi, a 1984 release, which saw her sharing the screen space with legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan. In an old interview with Doordarshan, Jaya Prada spoke about Sharaabi and her comeback film Khakee (2004). “Sharabi is my life’s most memorable film,” Jaya said, adding that when she first met Amitabh Bachchan on the sets of the film, she was very nervous. “I was very nervous because he is a master of the language. I didn’t know Hindi that well back then. The moment we started shoot, he supported me so much,” she recalled.
She said she was a “fan of him since my childhood,” which is why “it was a dream come true for me to work with him in the film.” “I was so happy. It went onto become a blockbuster,” she continued.

A still from Aakhree Raasta. (Photo: Express Archive)
Talking about what she learned from Big B, Jaya Prada said, “I learned discipline, determination from him.” As the conversation continued, Jaya Prada stated how every film she did with Amitabh Bachchan was a hit. Apart from Sharaabi, Jaya and Amitabh shared the screen space in Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati, Aaj Ka Arjun, Insaniyat and Indrajeet to name a few. “Amitji is my lucky co-star. Every film I have done with him, is a hit.”
“Amitji is a towering personality. He has contributed himself to the Hindi film industry in a magnanimous way. Whenever he steps on the sets, he is so sincere and committed as if it is his first film. He never makes his co-star feel that he is a big star. He makes his co-star very comfortable. He is like a guide and we can learn so much from him. He is a unique personality,” Jaya heaped praise on the actor.

Jaya also recalled her most difficult on-shoot experience. The actor said shooting for a song in D Ramanaidu production, titled Agni Poolu was quite a challenge. The film, which was based on Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani’s novel of the same name, was also an adaptation of V Shantaram’s Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli. Recalling shooting for a song in which she had to dance like a snake, Jaya said she felt insulted when the director asked if she can attempt the dance. “I got tears in my eyes,” she recalled. However, the shoot was not a smooth experience.
“When I went to rehearsals, I was sick. I had 103 temperature. The choreographer was a strict master. When I walked-in, I was just five minutes late for which he made me stand on single leg for half an hour as a punishment. I started crying because I was not well. He realised and eventually, we started rehearsing. During the rehearsals, because I had to move like a snake repeatedly, my back had rashes and I had a terrible hairfall. I even had to eat like a snake because I would vomit while shooting. It was tough. But when the film came out, people heaped praises on me. It was a hit. So, it all felt worth it,” she concluded.
Jaya Prada was last seen on Hunarbaaz: Desh Ki Shaan as a guest.