Released in 1995, ‘Coolie No. 1’ remains one of the most loved films in the careers of Karisma Kapoor and Govinda.Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor recently took a nostalgic trip down memory lane while appearing on the premiere episode of India’s Best Dancer. The actress relived one of the most memorable experiences of her early career after contestant Anshika Dhara performed to the iconic song “Husn Hai Suhana”.The performance reminded Karisma of her days shooting the chartbuster for the 1995 blockbuster ‘Coolie No. 1’. Looking back at that period, she revealed that she was still a teenager and felt a great deal of pressure while sharing screen space with one of Bollywood’s most popular performers.

Karisma Kapoor on dancing with Govinda

Karisma spoke about her age at the time and the responsibility that came with performing alongside Govinda. She said: “You are only 16 years old, and at that time I was around 17 or 18. I had to dance with Govinda ji.”The actress explained that working with Govinda was both exciting and intimidating. For a young Karisma matching his energy on screen was a challenge that she remembers vividly even today.

First song with Ganesh Acharya added to the pressure

Apart from dancing with Govinda – Karisma revealed that the song also marked one of her earliest collaborations with choreographer Ganesh Acharya.Sharing her memories, she said, “I remember especially in that song, it was one of the first or second dance numbers with Chi-Chi. Main bahot nervous thi aur Ganesh Acharya ke saath bhi mera pehla gaana tha, toh woh bhi ek naya combination tha.” (“I especially remember that song because it was one of my first or second dance numbers with Chi-Chi. I was very nervous, and it was also my first song with Ganesh Acharya, so that was a completely new combination for me.“)The actress noted that everything about the song felt new. She was still finding her footing in the industry, while Ganesh Acharya was also building his reputation as a choreographer.

David Dhawan helped ease her nervousness

Karisma also remembered the support she received from filmmaker David Dhawan during the shoot. According to her the director personally helped create a comfortable environment on set.Recalling their interaction she shared, “Mujhe yaad hai David Dhawan mere paas aaye the aur kaha tha, ‘You know, yeh bahot hi achhe choreographer hain, yeh naye Ganesh Master hain.’ Woh bhi bahot shy feel kar rahe the aur main bhi bahot shy thi.” (“I remember David Dhawan coming up to me and saying, ‘You know, he’s a very good choreographer. He’s the new Ganesh Master.’ He was feeling very shy too, and I was equally shy.”)She further revealed that both she and Ganesh Acharya were initially reserved, prompting the team to help them settle into the project.Speaking about those moments Karisma said, “Phir unko samjhana tha aur mujhe batana tha ki dekhiye, aap Govinda ji ke saath dance kar rahi ho, aur yeh ek item song hai.” (“Then they had to explain things to him and tell me, ‘Look, you’re dancing with Govinda ji, and this is an item song.’”)Meanwhile, David Dhawan is preparing for the release of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde. The project is expected to be the veteran filmmaker’s final directorial venture after a career spanning more than four decades.