Farhan Akhtar Thought Career Was Over As Sridevi Fell While He Cleaned Floor: 'Main Kaun Hota Hu Girane Wala'

Before he became one of Bollywood’s most celebrated filmmakers, Farhan Akhtar was just a nervous teenager finding his way around a film set. But in 1991, during the making of Yash Chopra’s Lamhe, one unexpected moment nearly ended his budding career — when Sridevi slipped and fell right in front of him. Decades later, Farhan still remembers the heart-stopping incident vividly. At just 17, Farhan Akhtar was working as an assistant to cinematographer Manmohan Singh on Lamhe, starring Sridevi and Anil Kapoor. The film, known for its lavish sets and Yash Chopra’s signature romance, was in the middle of a high-intensity dance sequence when the incident happened. Revisiting the memory on Aap Ki Adalat with India TV, Farhan laughed and said, “Main kaun hota hoon Sridevi ko girane wala! (Who am I to make her fall?)” He then shared how it all unfolded. He recalled, “Unfortunately, such an accident did occur. I was Man Ji’s seventh or eighth assistant on Lamhe. It was a passionate dance sequence choreographed by Saroj Ji. While Sridevi was rehearsing, Manmohan Singh noticed a stain on the wooden floor and asked someone to clean it. Since I was closest, I ran to wipe it off.” In his hurry, he didn’t realise Sridevi was walking toward the same spot. “I was bent down, cleaning the stain and coordinating with Man Ji when she walked over, slipped, and fell. I still remember it in slow motion — Sridevi flying in the air and hitting the floor. The entire set froze. I thought, ‘This is it, my career is over.’” But instead of being upset, Sridevi’s reaction completely surprised him. “She just smiled and said, ‘It’s okay, it happens.’ Everyone followed her lead and started laughing. That’s when I finally breathed again,” Farhan said. The incident left such an impression that even after he moved on to advertising and later made his directorial debut with Dil Chahta Hai, Farhan still credits Sridevi with shaping his early lessons in cinema and humility. “I will always be thankful to Sridevi — I truly believe I owe my career to her,” he added.