Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore recently recalled the fun time she had during the outdoor shoot of Yash Chopra’s 1973 blockbuster Daag as the film completes 50 years.

The Rajesh Khanna-Sharmila Tagore-Rakhee starrer was the first film under the iconic Yash raj Films banner.

“We were shooting in Shimla one day and I woke up to a landscape covered in snow. But that also meant that I had to walk to work as no car could come to us through the snow. That reminds me how I would get hit by snowballs before the shots. When I used to turn around to protest, I would find a bunch of giggly girls replying ,‘Yeh toh hamara khel hai, hum toh khelenge’. I think I also threw some at them but my aim was not half as good as theirs!” Sharmila said.

The actress, who was recently seen in the Disney+ Hotstar film Gulmohar, said she was thrilled to be a part of the director’s first venture as a producer. “It’s been 50 years since we made Daag, yet the movie and the songs remain so popular. Recently, Manoj Bajpayee (I made Gulmohar with him) was constantly singing Ek Chehre Pe Dusre Chehre Laga Dete Hai Log,” she added.

For Sharmila, Yash Chopra’s biggest contribution as a film-maker was to take Hindi films to the western audience and popularise Switzerland as the most sought after location. “He was inundated with awards and compliments from them and when we went to Interlaken, we saw this cafe, known as Bollywood Cafe, which made us so happy and it was wonderful. I feel it should have been called Yash Raj Cafe as he was a regular in that area capturing the beauty of the place.”

Sharmila also talked about her pairing with Rajesh Khanna with whom she had delivered blockbusters like Aradhana (1969) and Amar Prem (1972). “I think Kaka gave a memorable performance in Daag. I am really very grateful and happy that the audience appreciated our pair. I think we made some great films together.”