India’s Best Dancer 5: Shilpa Shirodkar Recalls Karisma's Heart-winning Gesture On The Sets Of Gopi Kishan

1st July 2026, MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shirodkar who joins the upcoming episode of India's Best Dancer Season 5 as a special guest. During a candid conversation on stage, Shilpa Shirodkar took a trip down the memory lane to look back at her 1994 superhit movie Gopi Kishan, setting the record straight about the rumored rivalries between '90s actresses and recalling the unique challenges of outdoor film shoots.

​When asked about the classic 1990s magazine headlines that constantly hinted at friction and between competing female stars, Shilpa dismissed the rumors, choosing instead to share a heart-warming, behind-the-scenes story from the sets of film Gopi Kishan (1994) that involved her co-star and current India's Best Dancer judge, Karisma Kapoor.

​Recalling the first day of shooting at the historic Bhalla Bungalow on Hill Road, Shilpa Shirodkar narrated, "Actually makeup room ki story hain yeh. Main aapko ek episode sunana chahti hoon aur mujhe nahi pata ki Lolo ko bhi yeh yaad hain ke nahi hain. Hum logon ne Gopi Kishan ki shoot ki thi ek bungalow hua karta tha Bhalla Bungalow, Hill Road pe. Toh uss time pe na hum logon ke yahan vanity vans kuch nahi the, toh makeup room jo production deta tha usmein hum log shoot karte the. Toh Bhalla Bungalow mein sirf doh makeup room the aur mera aur Sunil ka, hamare ghar ka sequence tha jahan pe Lolo was coming for one day."

​She added by saying, "Hum logon ne already shoot shuru kar di thi, poori unit was already known to each other and Lolo had signed the film and that was her first day on the set. Toh suddenly there was this buzz, production team comes and he says, 'Ma'am, problem hain.' Maine kaha kya ho gaya? He says, 'Karisma ma'am kal shoot pe aa rahi hain.' Maine kaha accha? Toh voh bolein, 'Nahi ma'am, kya hain na ki doh hi room hain'. Maine kaha haan koi problem nahi hain, Sunil can share the room with me. Change hi karna hain, whatever, you know we can go in and out and we'll be fine. Aap Karisma ma'am ko ek room de doh. Toh joh badi room thi aur acchi room thi, woh hum logon ne Karisma ma'am ke liye ready kar di."

​Following this she said, "Phir hum logon ne shoot shuru kar di, Lolo set pe aayi. And later she got to know all of us, she asked us a question ki, 'Doh hi room hai toh Sunil kahan hain?' Toh maine kaha nahi, we knew you were coming toh Sunil and I were sharing the room, toh she said, 'That's not right. Why should Sunil have to share with you? I will share the room with you.' And she and I actually shared the makeup room. For all the world joh log kehte the ki Karisma tantrums throw karti hain, we gave the room to Sunil and we shared the other room."

Continuing Shilpa added, "Main manti hoon har insaan ki ek equation hoti hain dusre insaan ke sath ek chemistry bann jati hain and thats how the world should be and you set your opinions with your own examples and not others."

The heartwarming conversation highlighted the beautiful bond shared by the leading actresses of the '90s, where despite the challenges and limitations of that era, they stood by each other and built lasting friendships. Adding to Shilpa's memories, Karisma Kapoor also spoke about the struggles they faced while shooting during those times, when actors had limited facilities on sets and had to adapt to the demanding conditions of outdoor shoots. Their candid exchange reflected the simplicity and strong connections that defined the golden era of Bollywood.

​ Don't miss India's Best Dancer Season 5 every Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 PM only on Sony Entertainment Television.