‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ remains one of Bollywood’s most iconic films, and now actress Renuka Shahane, who portrayed the soft-spoken and kind-hearted Pooja in the movie, has shared how her character as a gentle person in the film later led to typecasting in her career. Although the role solidified her image as the ‘perfect girl next door’, it also resulted in a wave of typecasting that limited the roles she was offered.
In a conversation with Filme Shilmy, Renuka opened up about how the impact of her role in Hum Aapke Hain Koun shaped the trajectory of her career. Although the role didn’t feel like a “trap” to her, the actress admitted that casting directors struggled to envision her outside of the “good Indian girl” mould. “People who cast actors could never think I could ever play anything with grey shades or anything unkind. So, in that sense, it was very restrictive because, as an actor, I would like to play all sorts of characters,” she shared.

It wasn’t just in films; the ripple effect of Pooja’s image extended into television as well. Renuka revealed that most roles she received after the film were of characters deeply rooted in Indian values—simple, relatable, and always virtuous. “But to tell you frankly, I didn’t mind being typecast,” she confessed, adding that she did not miss the grey-shaded characters at all.
Renuka also shared some heartfelt and humorous memories from the sets of ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’. One moment that still makes her chuckle is witnessing her own character’s funeral scene. She recalled visiting the set during the shoot and finding everyone deeply emotional in front of her photo.
Directed by Sooraj Barjatya, ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ featured Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan in lead roles.