Amrita Rao says she was convinced to sign Ishq Vishk with a bouquet and cake from Tips: ‘We will make you a star’

Ishq Vishk, directed by Ken Ghosh, was released on May 9, 2003. The film about young love became a hit, thanks to its young cast and popular songs. It was the film debut of Shahid Kapoor, son of Pankaj Kapur and also starred Amrita Rao opposite him. For the film’s 20th anniversary, Amrita revealed that she was wooed for the project with a cake and a bouquet by Tips, the music company that produced the film. (Also read: Amrita Rao was approached for Salman Khan’s Wanted, says vengeful manager ‘didn’t inform’ her)

The actor also shared that Ishq Vishk was originally supposed to be her debut movie. But the search for the lead actor opposite her took time and by the time the film released, she had already starred in the films Ab Ke Baras and The Legend of Bhagat Singh before that. But the musical became a breakthrough project for some of the artistes involved including Shahid Kapoor and Amrita. Shenaz Treasury, Yash Tonk, Satish Shah, Shahid’s mother Neelima Azeem and Vishal Malhotra were also part of the cast.

Amrita told Bollywood Hungama in an interview, “Ken Ghosh spotted me in a Cadbury Perk ad which had a Karwa Chauth theme. Ken Ghosh instantly found his Payal in me and took the ad film to Mr Kumar Taurani and Ramesh Taurani of Tips Films. I was still in school and not interested in debuting in the movies as yet. Tips came home with a bouquet and cake which said ‘We will make you a star’! They also had a very promising contract in place. The rest is history!”

She was last seen in the film Thackeray (2019) alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The actor is married to RJ Anmol and gave birth to their first child a boy named Veer on November 1, 2020. They host a YouTube show, Couple Of Things where they speak to other partners about their relationships.

A sequel to the film titled Ishq Vishq Rebound is due to be released this year. Marking Nipun Dharmadhikari’s Hindi debut, it stars Pashmina Roshan, the cousin of actor Hrithik Roshan, Jibraan Khan, Rohit Saraf and Nailaa Grewal. Jibraan played Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s son in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.