Aamir Khan endured 17 real slaps from Akshaye Khanna while filming a key scene in Farhan Akhtar’s directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai, which recently marked its 25th anniversary, writes Hindustan Times.
During a recent conversation with Yuvaa, Aamir recalled the scene involving Akshaye’s character.
Saif Ali Khan, who also starred in the film, was surprised to learn that the slaps were genuine and asked whether Aamir had actually been hit.
Farhan then explained that Aamir had agreed to take the slaps for real. According to the filmmaker, he told Aamir that Akshaye would strike him, to which the actor replied that it was fine.
Farhan said he later instructed Akshaye to deliver the slap while Aamir was speaking his dialogue rather than waiting for the expected moment.
The element of surprise, he felt, would make the scene more effective.
Aamir reportedly encouraged the team to repeat the action because it helped him reach the emotional state required for the sequence.
“By the time we finished, I remember he had a full mark on his face. It was almost swollen on one side,” Farhan recalled.
Aamir also said the real slaps were important because they helped bring authenticity to the scene.
The film had another similar incident involving Suchitra Pillai, who played Saif’s onscreen girlfriend.
Pillai recalled asking Farhan how she should slap Saif, as she initially wanted to hold back. The director reportedly told her to go ahead, and she eventually slapped Saif three times.
Released in 2001, Dil Chahta Hai is regarded as a landmark film in Bollywood for its portrayal of urban life, friendship and relationships.
The story follows three college friends—played by Aamir, Saif and Akshaye—as they enter adulthood and take different paths.
Written and directed by Farhan in his first outing as a filmmaker, the film also featured Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni and Dimple Kapadia in important roles.
