3 min readChennaiMar 25, 2026 04:46 PM IST
As filmmaker Priyadarshan gears up for the release of his new horror-comedy film Bhooth Bangla, one film that instantly comes to mind is his iconic 2007 film Bhool Bhulaiyaa. The film had many moments that have become a part of meme culture, but one of the most crucial remains its first climax sequence, showing Vidya Balan dancing to “Mere Dholna.” However, not many know that Vidya was once schooled by Farah Khan for her dancing skills.
In a recent interaction with Variety India, Priyadarshan recalled Vidya sharing how Farah had dismissed her dancing abilities, even declaring that she “can’t dance,” but the actor took it as a challenge. Sharing the same, he said, “This is very interesting because there was a time when people used to think that Vidya (Balan) cannot dance. And she told me I will take it as a big challenge. Vidya practised for 35–40 days just to do this song.”
Vidya worked so hard for the dance sequence that Farah had to eat her words and ended up appreciating the actor. “And the one who is dancing with her is Vineeth Radhakrishnan, who is one of the finest classical dancers of the country. But she matched his energy. And one day Vidya came and told me I will never forget this song in my life because someone who once told me I cannot dance, Farah Khan, has appreciated me for it. And Shobhana was also called and praised. She said I will never be able to repeat it but this is the best thing you have done for me. So this is something I remember very well,” he recalled.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa was one of the biggest hits of 2007. It also starred Akshay Kumar, Shiney Ahuja, and Ameesha Patel, alongside Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Manoj Joshi, Asrani, and Vikram Gokhale in key roles.
Many of the actors who worked with Priyadarshan earlier are reuniting with him in Bhooth Bangla, including Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Rajpal Yadav. The film also marks one of the posthumous appearances of Asrani. It is set to release on April 10.
