When Deepika couldnt make round rotis

By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, April 22 9IANS) Deepika Padukone was embarrassed when she couldn't make a roti for a cooking scene in "Aarakshan", while her co-star Saif Ali Khan was amused and said it reminded him of a scene in "Kaalia" where Amitabh Bachchan helped Parveen Babi to make an egg.

While breezing through one of the most difficult scenes with the formidable Big B in "Aarakshan", Deepika froze when she had to make perfectly rounded rotis. Apparently she asked director Prakash Jha to change the menu, but he was adamant - rotis it would be for the actress.

"I was so embarrassed, I can totally cook, but roti is a challenge. As with life, the most simplest of things some times get to be a hardest to master," said Deepika.

Not knowing that the sequence involved her 'actually' making a roti, she was completely lost on being presented with loose flour, with the whole unit waiting for her to do the action.

"Deepika just stood there helplessly looking at camera, at her director behind the camera and her co-star Saif Ali khan who grinned beside her," said a source.

As with most girls' first attempts at making the simple roti, Deepika's also came out in abstract shapes, sizes and maps of unknown countries. Seeing her comical trials and her gradually getting covered in white flour, Saif came to her rescue with not much success.

Finally, Jha had to personally show Deepika how to make perfectly-rounded rotis.

"It was nothing major. Deepika was pretty comfortable in the kitchen. I just helped her a little bit," said Jha.

Saif said: "It was interestingly funny, reminded me of the scene in 'Kaalia' where Amitji helps Parveen Babiji to make an egg. Thank god, it wasn't an egg for Deepika."

Shot in Bhopal, "Aarakshan" is about caste based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions in India.