Kim Sharma: ‘I Didn’t Learn Anything from Shah Rukh or Amitabh on Mohabbatein Set’

Despite debuting in a blockbuster, Kim reflects on missed opportunities, blunt rejections, and why acting was never her real calling.

Kim Sharma might have entered Bollywood with the kind of launchpad most newcomers can only dream of, but her acting career never quite took flight. Cast in Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein (2000)—his second directorial venture after the iconic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge—Kim was part of a star-studded ensemble that included Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Aishwarya Rai. The Yash Raj Films production turned out to be the biggest box office success of the year and even played a pivotal role in reviving Amitabh Bachchan’s then-fading career.

But for Kim, the blockbuster’s success didn’t translate into personal growth or long-term stardom.

In a candid conversation on Kunickaa Sadanand’s YouTube chat show, Kim reflected on why her performance in Mohabbatein failed to impress and how she squandered the opportunity to learn from the legends she shared the screen with.

“I didn’t learn anything because I wasn’t even paying attention,” she admitted, recalling her mindset at the time. “You have to understand—I was 18. If you’re a kid and Nelson Mandela walks into the room, but you don’t know who he is, you won’t care. That’s how it was for me. Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan were just nice people to be around. I wasn’t focused on the craft at all.”

Though the film’s success cemented SRK and Big B’s legacies, Kim’s acting was criticized as one of the film’s weaker links. Yet she claims to have no regrets. “I had a great time. If I were in the same room with them today, I would take away so much more. But back then, I just wasn’t ready,” she added.

Kim also revealed surprising details about her audition process for Mohabbatein. Her first tryout was in front of Nikkhil Advani, followed by a second, more daunting audition in front of Karan Johar. And Karan didn’t mince his words.

“He told me outright—‘Tumhe dance karna nahi aata, dialogue bolna nahi aata. Kyun heroine banna chahti ho?’ (You can’t dance or deliver dialogues. Why do you want to be a heroine?),” Kim recalled with a laugh. “And I said, ‘I don’t! I was just told to show up. If it doesn’t happen, that’s fine too.’”

It wasn’t until Aditya Chopra saw something in her during the third audition that she landed the role. But even after her big break, Kim admits that acting was never something she was passionate about.

Now, years later, Kim Sharma looks back on her Bollywood journey with surprising clarity—and zero regrets.