Soha Ali Khan recently recalled a "dangerous" scene she filmed for the iconic movie Rang De Basanti, revealing her initial fears and the challenges she faced during the shoot. The actress shared her experiences filming the cliff jump scene in her latest podcast, detailing the behind-the-scenes story of this legendary film moment.
Rang De Basanti, directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, featured an ensemble cast including Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Atul Kulkarni, Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kapoor, Alice Patten, Waheeda Rehman, and Soha Ali Khan. The film explores patriotism and social responsibility among India's youth, following a group of friends who find inspiration in India's freedom struggle and decide to take a stand against corruption.
Soha Ali Khan played the character of Sonia in Rang De Basanti. Reflecting on her role, Soha had said she felt like "one of the boys". She said that she liked that and it helped her explore other aspects of her personality, or things that are actually more natural to her that she hadn't explored in other films.
According to news reports from August 21, 2025, Soha candidly shared her initial fears and the unexpected challenges during filming the cliff scene. She recalled that the entire Rang De Basanti film took about a year to complete across India because the shooting locations included Rajasthan, Punjab, Delhi, and Mumbai. She told IANS, "There are very few films where you really get involved like that, with the cast, with the characters, with the team. So I feel like it was so much more than just a film for all of us. And, even for the audience, it became more than a film, it became a movement of sorts. And I think, the whole experience was phenomenal".
Soha then spoke about the cliff-jumping scene, which is picturized on the song 'Masti Ki Paathshala'. She shared, "So there's a fort a bit away from Jaipur. That's where we did this. And of course, when we were shooting, people understood that I was scared. So they told me that there's no harness, and I was very new to filming. So I didn't know that you don't have to jump with the speed of gravity and all; nobody explained to me that".
The actress added, "I was all charged up. I was like, 'I'm not going to say that I can't do it'. If other people are going to do it, I'm also going to do it. But it was like a few hundred meters. And I was like, I think this is dangerous. It was probably not the cleanest water either". She shot the challenging cliff scene without an initial harness. The director, Rakesh Mehra, challenged her to jump first.
Released on Republic Day in 2006, Rang De Basanti became a cultural phenomenon. The film resonated with audiences, particularly the youth, and sparked conversations about patriotism, social responsibility, and political activism. The film's narrative style, blending the past and the present, created a convincing and challenging storyboard for future filmmakers. Rang De Basanti's impact extended beyond the screen, inspiring real-life protests and movements. The film is considered a modern classic for its engaging storyline, powerful performances, and memorable music.
