When Mala Sinha allegedly slapped Sharmila Tagore on set: A Throwback to 'Humsaya' shoot

Bollywood’s golden era was filled with timeless classics, legendary stars, and occasional behind-the-scenes drama. One such tale from the 1960s involves a reported feud between yesteryear stars Sharmila Tagore and Mala Sinha during the shooting of the 1968 film Humsaya, directed by Joy Mukherjee.

Clash of the Queens on set
As reported by Masala, the tensions began early on during the shoot of Humsaya, where Sharmila Tagore and Mala Sinha were cast opposite Joy Mukherjee, who also directed the film. Reportedly, ego clashes surfaced over screen time, dialogues, songs, and even costumes. Petty disagreements snowballed into full-blown rivalry, with each actress allegedly insisting that the other arrive first on set to assert seniority.

The slap that made headlines
The feud allegedly reached a dramatic peak during a confrontation scene when Mala Sinha, considered the senior star at the time, was rumoured to have slapped Sharmila Tagore. While the moment was reportedly witnessed by a few on set, the details remain murky. Years later, when the story resurfaced, both actresses publicly denied the incident. Mala went on record calling the rumour “loose talk for the film’s publicity.”

Cold Wars and repeated patterns
This wasn't the last time Sharmila Tagore found herself in a cold war with a co-star. Years later, during the filming of Daag, she and Raakhee reportedly shared similarly frosty vibes. Director Yash Chopra had to play peacemaker on multiple occasions, while Rajesh Khanna was said to have worsened matters by manipulating both actresses.



Video