When Sushmita Sen stormed out of set after Mithun Chakraborty allegedly touched her inappropriately during a scene in Chingaari: '...I felt disturbed'

Sushmita Sen has always been known for her powerful performances, but the 2006 film Chingaari became infamous not only for its controversial on-set moments but also for the personal challenges the lead actress faced. One such incident that garnered attention was when Sushmita reportedly stormed off set after an intimate scene with co-star Mithun Chakraborty, accusing him of inappropriate behavior. Although the matter was later addressed, it added to the mounting tensions and controversies surrounding the film's production.

Tensions with Mithun Chakraborty
In several interviews, director Kalpana Lajmi openly acknowledged that tensions ran high between the lead actors of Chingaari. She suggested that veteran actor Mithun was caught off guard by Sushmita's commanding performance, which created noticeable friction between the co-stars. Kalpana also revealed that she bore the brunt of Mithun’s frustrations during the shoot.

There were also unconfirmed reports that Sushmita once walked off the set following an intense scene with Chakraborty. Allegedly, she felt uncomfortable with the way the scene unfolded and became emotional afterward, even raising the issue with director Kalpana Lajmi. The director reportedly reassured her that it was a misunderstanding. Sources later claimed that Sushmita reconsidered the situation, felt she may have overreacted, and resolved the matter privately with her co-star. However, none of the parties involved have publicly addressed or confirmed this incident.

Kalpana frequently expressed her long-standing admiration for Mithun during interviews about Chingaari. However, what began as a promising collaboration quickly soured, with the director candidly recounting the many difficulties she encountered while working with him. Instead of a rewarding creative experience, their professional relationship became one of the more challenging chapters of her filmmaking journey.

Emotionally taxing experience for Sushmita

Controversies aside, portraying Basanti in Chingaari was an emotionally taxing experience for Sushmita Sen. She has spoken to Hindustan Times about how deeply the role affected her, even after filming had ended. Playing a sex worker took a toll on her psyche—she admitted that despite knowing it was just acting, the intensity of the character often blurred the lines between reel and real, leaving her feeling unsettled and emotionally drained.

Fallout with Co-star Anuj Sawhney

One of the early controversies that plagued Chingaari involved lead actress Sushmita and newcomer Anuj Sawhney, who played a postman in love with Sushmita’s character, a sex worker. During the film’s promotional phase, Anuj reportedly boasted about an on-screen kiss with Sushmita, claiming it took 36 retakes to get right. His remarks didn't sit well with Sushmita, who was so upset that she opted out of promoting the film entirely. Kalpana later expressed that the controversy cost them two crucial months of publicity, as the film was heavily dependent on Sushmita's presence and star power.

Anuj eventually issued an apology two months after the incident, which director Kalpana took as an acknowledgment of his mistake. While she empathized with Sushmita's reaction as a woman, she admitted feeling let down as the film’s director. Sushmita later forgave Anuj but clarified in an interview with Hindustan Times that she was deeply hurt by how the film was being publicized. She believed that highlighting a kiss scene overshadowed the powerful social message Chingaari was meant to convey.