| | | TOOTHLESS WONDER: Shilpa Saklani and Apoorva Agnihotri perform their Gabbar-Basanti routine in Nach Baliye | October 22, 2005 will always remain a terrible day in the lives of TV actors Shilpa Saklani and Apoorva Agnihotri.
The two accidentally collided during a dance rehearsal early that morning, causing one of Shilpa's front teeth to be uprooted.
Despite the severe gum injury, heavy bleeding and missing tooth, the actress went ahead and shot for the third round of Nach Baliye. Tough gun
The couple was in the middle of their Gabbar-Basanti act, when Apoorva's prop, a toy gun, hit Shilpa's face.
Says the shaken actress, "After our technical and dress rehearsals at the studio, we reached our Lokhandwala rehearsal hall at around 12.10 am. We were practicing our steps for the final performance, when a wrong turn landed me with this injury.
My gum was torn apart and my front tooth fell off, with blood oozing out. I was in tears; it was so painful I could hardly speak. I tried to get in touch with my dentist, but he was not reachable. All night long, I was only replacing blood-soaked cotton balls. My head, nose, eyes and ears were hurting so badly, I felt somebody was giving me electric shocks." | | MERE PAAS DAANT... NAHIN HAIN! Apoorva brandishes the errant gun | Teeth surgically fixed
Shilpa's teeth had been surgically fixed four years back, when she fell headlong in an attempt to save her father from falling.
"In our ground floor Navy Nagar house, we had a slope built outside for my dad's wheelchair. The slope had developed cracks after the monsoons and I was being extra cautious while taking him out, when I had a bad fall, which left me bleeding," she recounts.
"After that, I had to undergo surgery where my gum and two teeth were fixed with a metal rod and a set of screws. This time, the screw came off, and even the rod was almost displaced, which led to so much bleeding."
The Kkusum actress went to her dentist in Yari Road at 9.15 the next morning. She was treated with injections to the gum, before reporting on the sets of Nach Baliye to perform.
"I was about to withdraw from the contest," says Shilpa.
"Apoorva informed the channel authorities but they would not give up on us so easily. They constantly supported and encouraged us. Apoorva even said that we would go and sit among the audience to cheer for the other couples. But gradually, I realised I couldn't let Apoorva down. We have spent sleepless nights gearing up for the show; no pain can touch upon our dedication." Hare Krishna
An ardent devotee of Lord Krishna, Shilpa confesses that her constant chanting of "hare Krishna" boosted her confidence.
"The choreography also had to be changed, as I was looking funny sporting a swollen face. Just before our performance, Saroj Khan walked into my van and said, 'God bless you. I'm proud of you. It needs courage to face the camera with a swollen face.' That did the trick; although I managed to pull it off, it definitely took a toll on our performance."
The actress is now recuperating from the accident. "The pain has subsided and it's not swollen any more. My dentist has fixed a temporary tooth cap and I've also started eating solid food again," she says. |
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