Juhi Chawla: Interesting facts

Actress Juhi Chawla, who has been juggling with acting, singing, motherhood, radiation and entrepreneurship, has recently ventured into the restaurant business with her husband. We hear that the duo, in partnership with a few others, has opened up a restaurant called Pizza Metro Pizza at Kemps Corner in Town. Juhi has never been a foodie, but has always enjoyed the business side of things with IPL, film production and now the restaurant business. Speaking about Pizza Metro Pizza, Juhi said, “It's become one of my favourites these days as you get the best Italian food and especially pizzas at our restaurant.” Speaking about her involvement, the actress said, “I am not very active due to the lack of time, but yes I am hoping the restaurant will do well. It's actually my husband Jay’s baby and hence that’s how I have gotten associated with the restaurant. The quality of the food is excellent and hence we are sure that the restaurant will grow through word of mouth.” Interestingly the actress is a hardcore vegetarian and loves both Italian and Thai food.

Click further to know why Aamir and Juhi, who shared a great rapport, did not speak to each other for almost 4-5 years...

Apart from his perfectionism, Aamir is also known for playing crazy pranks on the sets. Juhi Chawla and Aamir Khan had started their career almost at the same time and have delivered a number of hits together. Their off- screen chemistry could be easily seen in their on-screen performances. But one of his pranks got too much for the actress to handle. It was during the shoot of the song 'Ankhiyan tu' from Ishq that Juhi snapped at both Aamir and Ajay and refused to continue with the shoot. And she actually did not go to the shoot the next day. Aamir Khan, sobered by her reaction, was also upset with the actress. In fact he was so serious that Juhi was scared to approach him. After this Juhi Chawla and Aamir Khan did not talk to each other for the next 4-5 years.

Juhi has given a number of hits with Shah Rukh and Aamir Khan. But she never worked with Salman Khan though both of them were the leading stars then. During her appearance on the chat show, Koffee With Karan, Juhi said, "There were events where we met and I would look at Salman and he would look at me as if he did not know who I was. There have been incidents where I really did not know what was going on in his mind. And because we never worked together I could not just pick up the phone and speak to him."

Juhi Chawla has a huge fan following, but for Juhi, Sridevi was the ultimate icon. Juhi is a self-confessed Sridevi fan and never stops gushing about her. "I see her today and I think, what an amazing work. I have seen Chandni, Chalbaaz, Lamhe over and over again and I find her fabulous in every frame," she said in a chat with Karan Johar on Koffee With Karan.

A lot was written about Juhi Chawla and Madhuri Dixit's animosity. And the news of them coming together for Gulab Gang created a buzz in the industry. Talking about the alleged cold war with Madhuri, Juhi said, "I was apprehensive of taking a film (Dil To Pagal Hai) with Madhuri earlier, when we were all rising up in our careers. At that time I did not take on a film because she was in it." Talking about the film further, Juhi said, "I had just done Darr with Yash ji and was used to all the attention. So when I was offered Dil To Pagal Hai, I said I don't want to be second to her." She further adds, "That was not a clever decision of mine."

It wasn't just Dil To Pagal Hai, where Karisma Kapoor replaced Juhi. Juhi was also the first choice for Aamir Khan-starrer Raja Hindustani. But Juhi rejected the offer which later went to Karisma. The film further strengthened Karisma's foothold in the industry. Talking about this in an interview with the Times of India, Juhi said, "When you are flying too high, many a times, you let your ego take the decisions. In my case, I ended up making Karisma Kapoor a star in the process. I was the first choice for Raja Hindustani. She also went on to do Dil To Pagal Hai, which was offered to me first."

Juhi, who was known for her charming screen presence and impeccable comic timing chose to marry someone outside the film fraternity. Talking about choosing someone as a partner who is not from the industry, Juhi said, "I don't think I could have handled my husband looking into the mirror as much as I would. I could not imagine getting married to someone like that." Juhi further revealed that Jay Mehta used to shower her with gifts, cards, flowers etc for almost a year until she finally said 'yes'.

Juhi was born in the Chawla family in Ludhiana. After graduation Juhi participated in Femina Miss India. She was crowned Miss India Universe 1984 in USA. She was also declared the National Costume Winner at Miss Universe 1984. She is among those very few beauty pageant winner-turned-actresses who are still a part of the film industry and have not stopped working.

Juhi Chawla met Imran Khan when he was a kid. Imran being Aamir Khan's nephew used to accompany him to the sets. It was at that impressionable age that Imran decided to get married to Juhi Chawla. He gave her a ring and Juhi accepted it. Their marriage lasted for 3-4 days until Imran decided the ring was too cool to be given to someone else. So he took it back.

Apart from acting abilities, Juhi is also known for her spunk and spontaneity. During the rapid fire round of Karan Johar's Koffee With Karan, Juhi gave some really non-diplomatic answers. On being asked, what was that one thing which Madhuri had but she did not, Juhi said, "An American accent." On being asked who in the industry needs a stylist and a therapist, Juhi promptly replied, "Parineeti Chopra and Mallika Sherawat."

Juhi Chawla also used to share a very close bond with Shah Rukh Khan. Together they had opened a production house 'Red Chillies' and Juhi Chawla's brother Bobby was the CEO. But the friction between SRK and Juhi started when Shah Rukh replaced her brother Bobby with Venky Mysore as the CEO of Red Chillies, without informing her. "I don't know if I was informed before or after Venky assumed office, but it was Venky who called me and told me about the development. In fact, I told Venky 'please go ahead and take up your new assignment'. But suddenly I started feeling bad because it struck me that the job, which my brother did so efficiently for the longest time, will now be done by someone else," Juhi said, in an interview with The Times of India.