Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of an individual’s death.
The Sky Is Pink is one of the few underrated gems of Bollywood that touched many hearts. Its emotional storyline and impactful performances left a lasting impact on the audience. As the film turns 5, we revisit an old interview when the film’s director, Shonali Bose, recalled how Priyanka Chopra, who played the lead role, couldn’t stop crying after an emotional scene. This happened because the actress deeply connected with the pain of her character and Bose, who has experienced the loss of a child in real life.
The Sky Is Pink is based on the true story of motivational speaker Aisha Chaudhary’s parents. It covers their 25-year love story, their journey with Aisha, and the heartbreak of losing her when she was 18 years old. Before the film’s release, Shonali Bose gave a candid interview to the Mumbai Mirror, where she reflected on this emotional moment during filming.
She revealed that when they were shooting for an emotional scene in the film, Priyanka continued to cry after it ended. Bose said, “An emotional shoot was when she had to break down after a scene. After I called ‘cut,’ I hugged her, and she couldn’t stop crying. She kept whispering, ‘I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. I know now what it means to lose a child. I am so sorry for Ishlu.’ I continued holding her.”
For the unversed, the filmmaker lost her son Ishan when he was 16 after a sudden accident that allegedly involved an electric razor. Moreover, Bose used to call her son Ishlu.
The Modern Love Mumbai director also shared that Priyanka Chopra used the nickname ‘Ishlu’ to address the character of Rohit Saraf, who played the role of her son. Recalling the actress’ request, she said, “Priyanka called Ishan “Ishlu,” which is not a name Aditi calls her son by. Priyanka heard me calling my Ishan when I spoke about him and asked me, ‘Can I call him Ishlu in this scene?’ I just smiled from ear to ear.”
The Sky Is Pink was released in cinemas on October 11, 2019. It starred Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf, and Priyanka Chopra in significant roles.
