Published : 05 Nov 2026, 12:13 PM
Updated : 05 Nov 2026, 12:13 PM
Bollywood actor Mita Vashisht has recalled how Shah Rukh Khan saved her life during the shooting of the 1998 film “Dil Se”, pulling her back moments before she fell off a steep ridge in Dalhousie.
In an interview with SCREEN, Mita described the incident while recalling her experience of working with Shah Rukh on the Mani Ratnam-directed film.
The two actors had previously worked together in Mani Kaul's “The Idiot” (1992). Mita said Shah Rukh remained affectionate and protective towards her when they reunited for “Dil Se”, despite having become a major star by then, NDTV writes.
Recalling the incident in Dalhousie, where the crew was shooting in freezing conditions, Mita said she was carrying an AK-47 while leading a blindfolded Shah Rukh across a stretch of land for a sequence.
The actors had been given shoes with plastic soles, making it difficult to feel the ground beneath their feet.
As director Mani Ratnam repeatedly instructed her to move backwards, Mita continued taking small steps until she suddenly found herself at the edge of a steep ridge.
She said she realised she was falling backwards and was about to tumble down the slope when Shah Rukh reacted instantly.
“His reflexes were extraordinary. In a split second, he grabbed the front of my jacket and pulled me back up,” she said.
Mita said the weight of the gun and the steep slope could have made the fall extremely dangerous.
“He actually saved my life that day. With the weight of the gun and the steep slope, I could have fallen all the way down, with nothing to stop me,” she said.
The actor added that she believed Shah Rukh's quick reaction had prevented something terrible from happening.
She also recalled another incident during the filming of a six-minute fight sequence between their characters, which was eventually dropped from the film.
In the scene, Mita was supposed to hit Shah Rukh on the head with a small stone as a last resort. However, the stone slipped through her fingers and left a small cut on his head.
While the crew members were horrified and angry over the accident, Shah Rukh responded affectionately, she said.
Mita said she had always cared deeply for Shah Rukh as a person, describing him as alert and protective throughout the shoot.
Written and directed by Mani Ratnam, “Dil Se” starred Shah Rukh Khan, Manisha Koirala and Preity Zinta in lead roles.
The romantic thriller follows Amar, an All India Radio journalist who falls in love with Meghna, a mysterious woman with a complicated past.
Mita Vashisht, Raghubir Yadav, Piyush Mishra, Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and Sanjay Mishra also featured in the film.
Released in 1998, “Dil Se” is remembered for its soundtrack composed by AR Rahman, including the popular song “Chaiyya Chaiyya”.
