Actress Shilpa Shirodkar has recalled a near-drowning incident from the early 1990s during the filming of the song 'Sanam Mere Sanam' from the superhit film 'Hum', revealing that she and co-star Govinda were shooting in open water without life jackets or any safety equipment. The revelation came during a recent episode of the dance reality show India's Best Dancer Season 5.

What Happened on the 'Hum' Set

Shilpa was visibly moved when the show surprised her with a special video message from Govinda, who recounted the frightening episode with characteristic humour. According to Govinda, neither he nor Shilpa knew how to swim well, yet both were placed in open water for the shoot.

In his own words, Govinda recalled: 'Woh, use tairna nahi aata. Halanki mujhe bhi, main bhi koi accha swimmer toh tha nahi. Shilpa paani mein doob gayi aur main akela chala raha hoon. 'Haye haye Shilpa kidhar hai re? Kidhar hai?' Gayi paani mein. Phir? Main jaake Shilpa ko baahar nikala. Ab baahar aate heen Shilpa boli, 'Tujhya aayela... arey isse kaha tha ki mujhe abhi swimming nahi aati hain, kaaye ko isme daal diya hain?''

In essence, Govinda described how Shilpa sank into the water while he was left navigating the boat alone. He jumped in and pulled her out, after which she reportedly scolded everyone in Marathi for putting her in the water despite knowing she could not swim.

Shilpa Shirodkar Describes the Panic

Shilpa herself elaborated on the dangerous conditions, saying: 'Jis situation mein shooting karte the, bohot gin-chun ke log the. Main leather pant mein thi aur wahan pe W.B. Rao sir dusre boat mein aise bol rahe the pose karne, and I was panicking because we were in mid-water. Only four people were there. No life jacket, kuch nahi. And that's how we worked at that time.'

She noted that director W.B. Rao was directing her from a separate boat, asking her to pose, while she was stranded in the middle of the water with only four people present on the entire set — and no safety gear whatsoever.

The Film and the Song

Released in the early 1990s, 'Hum' featured an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Govinda, Shilpa Shirodkar, and Kimi Katkar. The song at the centre of this incident, 'Sanam Mere Sanam', became one of the film's most recognisable numbers. The film itself was a major commercial success.

A Window into Bollywood's Safety Culture of the Era

Shilpa's account offers a candid look at the working conditions that were commonplace on Hindi film sets in the 1990s. Minimal crew, absent safety protocols, and an expectation that actors would simply manage — regardless of personal risk — defined the era. This is not an isolated account; several veteran actors and crew members have over the years described similarly hazardous conditions from that period of Indian cinema.

The anecdote, which left Shilpa laughing as Govinda recreated her panic on screen, has since drawn widespread attention, prompting renewed conversation about how significantly on-set safety standards have evolved in Bollywood over the past three decades.