Suraj Barjatya Turns Tiny Role into Amrita Rao’s Breakthrough

Suraj Barjatya’s decision to cast Amrita Rao in Vivah stemmed from a minute appearance she made in The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Though her screen time was barely seven minutes, Barjatya was impressed by her natural feel for a modest character.

During their first meeting, Rao arrived in casual denim, expecting a modern look, but Barjatya clarified he envisioned her as a straightforward girl from Madhupur named Poonam. The actress embraced the simplicity, which resonated strongly with audiences.

Vivah, featuring Shahid Kapoor as the male lead, was made with a modest budget of eight crore rupees but went on to set several box‑office records. Its romantic dialogues, music, and the innocence of Poonam remain popular on social media, cementing Rao’s performance as iconic.