Actor Poonam Dhillon recalled late filmmaker Yash Chopra’s reaction when she once pitched him a film idea based on Daniel Steele’s The Promise.
It was later directed by Kapil Kapoor and was titled Yeh Vaada Raha (1982). Speaking with news agency ANI, Poonam revealed that he rejected the film saying that the Indian audience won’t accept Hema Malini becoming Zeenat Aman. As per the plot of the story, the lead female actors changed after a cosmetic surgery.
Poonam Dhillon on Yash Chopra dismising her pitch for Yeh Vaada Raha story
Poonam recalled reading the book during her trip to Japan. After returning to India she told Yash Chopra about the plot. “I told Yashji. I said, ‘Yashji, ek bohot achchi kahani maini padhi hai (I have read a good story). I think it’s a lovely story’. He said, ‘I don’t read books, you give it to Pam, she’ll read it and tell me’. So I said, ‘Okay’. Yeah, so Pam ji read it probably again in a day. It was a very fast read. And she gave him the narration of the subject. And I was very excited waiting for his reaction. So I said, Yash ji, you read it, Pam ji told you. He said, ‘Yes, yes. But this film, our Hindi audience won’t accept it’. I said, ‘Why Yash ji, it’s such a good story, you know, romantic story, everything’,” said Poonam.
As per Yash, there was a flaw in the story, which, according to him, renders it unsuitable for the Hindi audience. “He said, acha ek baat bta. Hema Malini Zeenat Aman ban jaae, kon accept karega (Tell me one thing. If Hema Malini becomes Zeenat Aman, who will accept)?’ He finished my dream there and then, and the story was over. Yash Chopra toh nhi banane waale the (Chopra was not going to make it),” said Poonam.
Poonam later realised Yash Chopra was right about audience’s reaction
Years later, Poonam was pitched a similar story by the makers of Yeh Vaada Raha, which she immediately accepted. However, after the film’s struggling performance at the box office, Poonam recalled Yash’s feedback on the story. “And sure, it proved right enough. At that time, plastic surgery wasn’t something people would accept so easily. And that whole face has changed, and the same person is etc. So, it didn’t work well at that time,” she added.
About Yeh Vaada Raha
Yeh Vaada Raha also starred Rishi Kapoor, Tina, Rakhee and Shammi Kapoor. It was the first Hindi film where the lead female character is portrayed by two actors (Poonam and Tina) through the use of plastic surgery.