Renowned actress and politician Isha Koppikar recently shared a surprising throwback from her work on the sets with veteran actor-producer Nagarjuna Akkineni, when they co-starred in the 1998 film, Chandralekha. The Krishna Cottage actress, known for her bold takes on matters and controversies, revealed in her recent interview that the South superstar once slapped her not once, but 14 times, for a scene, which left her with a sore face.
Why did Nagarjuna Akkineni slap Isha Koppikar 14 times?
During a candid chat with Hindi Rush, Isha recalled a memorable anecdote from the initial days of her acting career when she was predominantly working in South Indian films. Speaking about her early works, the actress shared a shocking yet amusing anecdote from her early film, Chandralekha, where a scene required her to get slapped by her co-star, Nagarjuna. Isha said:
“Maine khaaye the Nagarjuna se thappad. Aur mai ek dum committed actress, mereko real method acting karni hai. Toh voh joh thappad maar rahe the, mereko feel hi nahi ho rha tha thappad.”
Isha explained that the slaps weren’t part of any off-screen drama but rather a demanding film scene where she wanted to stay true to method acting. However, the soft slaps that landed on her face weren’t enough to evoke the emotions the scene demanded. At first, Nagarjuna was reluctant to slap her with force, and he kept asking her, ‘Are you sure?’ But Isha insisted, saying his first slap felt more like a ‘pyaar wala thappad.’ The actress recalled:
“Mereko feel hi nahi ho rha hai. Usne bichare ne di thappad lekin pyaar wala. But the director said, ‘Isha, you are being slapped.’”
Image Source: Hindi Rush
Isha recalls getting slap marks on her face after multiple takes
The next issue was not the slap, but Isha’s ‘method acting’. The Dil Ka Rishta actress recalled struggling to express the anger the director wanted for the scene, despite multiple takes. Isha admitted she has difficulty portraying rage on camera.
The actress ultimately ended up being slapped by Nagarjuna 14 times. After the intense shoot, the superstar was visibly concerned and apologised. Recalling the heartwarming incident, Isha shared:
“Mera dusra problem hai ki mai asli life mai gussa hoti hu, camera ke samne mai gussa nahi ho sakti. I don’t know kya problem hai. Voh anger ke chakkar mai maine 14 chapped kha liye. End mai literally nishan aa gaye… Voh bichara muje leke baitha, ‘Sorry, sorry.’ I said, ‘No, no, I asked for it. Why are you saying sorry?’”
About Chandralekha, Isha Koppikar’s second film
Released in 1998, Chanralekha marked Isha Koppikar’s early entry into cinema. The Telugu-language film was a remake of a Malayalam film, where the actress starred alongside Nagarjuna and Ramya Krishna. The comedy-drama was a box office hit and a successful remake.
Isha Koppikar’s professional front
Isha Koppikar is best known in Bollywood for her work in Krishna Cottage (2004) and Kya Kool Hai Hum (2005). The actress was last seen in intense and gritty roles in Suranga and Dahanam, both of which were released in 2022. Meanwhile, Nagarjuna recently received immense praise for his work in Kuberaa (2025) alongside Dhanush.
What are your thoughts on Isha Koppikar’s anecdote with Nagarjuna on the Chandralekha set?
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