Swaroop Sampat Rawal says Aditya Dhar is responsible for her gray hair, gushes over 'Dhurandhar', recalls experience on 'Uri'

Swaroop Sampat Rawal known for the iconic television show 'Yeh Joh Hai Zindagi' and films like 'Ki And Ka', 'Saathiya' and more was also seen in Aditya Dhar's 'Uri: The Surgical Strike'. The film which starred Vicky Kaushal also starred Swaroop's husband Paresh Rawal. In a recent interview, Swaroop opened up on her experience of working with Aditya Dhar and also praised 'Dhurandhar'.

When asked about the one film on her mind today, she said, "Dhurandhar, Dhurandhar Dhurandhar," in an interview with Variety India. She added, "This is not just because of what he is, but because he is the coolest person to work with.”

She recalls how conversations about “Uri: The Surgical Strike” frequently filled the Rawal household long before she became part of the project. “During the planning of 'Uri: The Surgical Strike' (2019), my husband Paresh and my son Aditya would meet up with Aditya Dhar because they knew him very well. And would talk incessantly about the film. Obviously, the talk would come home, too,” she says.

Sampat and Dhar first crossed paths when he was working with director Priyadarshan while assisting him and contributing to the writing of 'Aakrosh' (2010). Years later, Paresh Rawal joined “Uri: The Surgical Strike” as Govind Bhardwaj, a character inspired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Sharing how she landed her own part in the film, Sampat says, “One day, Aditya (Dhar) called me. I was returning from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) office to my hotel in Delhi, and Dhar said, ‘Ma’am, I have a role for you.’ So, I just said, ‘Aditya, I am doing it!’ He says, ‘But you haven’t heard the story!’ I replied, ‘I don’t care! I am doing it!’ He persisted, ‘Why, ma’am?’ I told him, 'In my house, all the time they are talking about ‘Uri…’. So, I am doing your film, okay.'”

Later, Dhar visited the Rawal residence to narrate the script and made one specific request. “Ma’am, don’t color your hair if you don’t mind!” he told her. Sampat agreed, jokingly adding, “Okay. So, he is responsible for this,” while pointing at her grey hair. Though her appearance in the film — as Vicky Kaushal’s mother — was brief, Sampat says she thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “Aditya Dhar is such a pleasure to work with!” she says. “He is so calm and so comfortable [to work with]. He knows his job.”

Looking ahead, Sampat says she hopes to do another film soon — ideally one featuring her entire family. “What I would love [to do, next] is a film, especially a film! We can shoot it once and finish it off with it! One features all four of us: Paresh, my sons Aniruddh and Aditya and me; not necessarily as a family. And I can only think of Aditya Dhar directing all of us together!”