Overview
- Akhtar said he was 17 and assisting cinematographer Manmohan Singh on Yash Chopra’s Lamhe when the incident occurred during a rehearsal.
- The moment came during a Saroj Khan–choreographed dance being prepped for a crane shot after he rushed to wipe a stain on the wooden floor.
- He recalled Sridevi walking over, slipping where he was cleaning, and the set freezing as he feared his career was over.
- According to Akhtar, Sridevi smiled and said, “It’s okay, it happens,” which defused the tension and prompted laughter on set.
- He later moved into advertising before directing Dil Chahta Hai in 2001, and he says he remains grateful to Sridevi, a story he shared in a new Aap Ki Adalat appearance now covered by Indian Express, News18, and Mid-day.