March 8, 2025: Indian filmmaker Kiran Rao, known for directing critically acclaimed films like Dhobi Ghat and Laapataa Ladies, recently shared a fun and unexpected anecdote from her early days in the film industry. Before she embarked on her journey as an assistant director for films like Lagaan and Swades, Kiran made a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in the 2001 hit film Dil Chahta Hai.
The film, which starred Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna, is considered a cult classic. Kiran’s cameo occurs in a scene where the three lead actors are waiting at a hotel. In this brief appearance, Kiran, with her shoulder-length curly hair, is seen entering with two friends while sporting a printed blue halter top and a yellow sarong.
Kiran recalled how this cameo came about and shared how she unexpectedly found herself in front of the camera. Initially, Kiran was responsible for casting extras for the Goa schedule of Dil Chahta Hai. However, when they were short on background actors, her friends pushed her to step in for a scene.
“This is thanks to my friends Arjun Bhasin, Reema Kagti, and Zoya Akhtar, who were all, most annoyingly, leading the set,” Kiran chuckled as she recalled the incident. “I was actually casting the extras for Dil Chahta Hai for the Goa schedule. And every time they felt short of an extra, they were like, ‘Kiran, just wear this costume and walk!'”
Kiran further explained that she was initially reluctant to take part. “I was like, guys, I’m the extras coordinator. I’m the casting director of extras. And Arjun, who was the costume designer, put me in this, and I was like, ‘What is this, Arjun? With this, like literally, you’re sending me out nanga!'” she laughed.
However, Arjun convinced Kiran to step in by saying, “It’s a beach, and nobody else is willing to wear it, so come on, you go!”
Following this cameo, Kiran worked as an assistant director on Lagaan and later married Aamir Khan in 2005. Kiran made her directorial debut with Dhobi Ghat in 2011 and recently returned to directing with Laapataa Ladies.
Her story is a reminder of the quirky and unpredictable moments that often shape a career in the film industry.