The Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Bipasha Basu, and Celina Jaitly starrer No Entry has completed 20 years since its release. Even two decades later, the cult comedy continues to enjoy a loyal fan base. In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, Celina, who played Sanjana Saxena in No Entry, opened up about her experience working on the hit comedy, her equation with co-stars, the sequel announcement, and much more.
Celina Jaitly was initially offered Bipasha Basu’s role of Bobby in No Entry. However, she felt a stronger connection with Sanjana’s character and chose to play that role instead. She said, “Initially, I was offered Bipasha’s role. That role too was a strong and memorable part of the film, and I truly loved the way her character shaped up eventually. It even ended up with some wonderful solo songs, which of course every actor loves to have. But my decision to choose Sanjana was purely an artistic one.”
The actor added, “I felt that Sanjana’s character had a unique comedic dimension, the kind of role where the humour comes not from trying to be funny, but from simply being truthful to the character. For me, comedy works best when it is performed with complete honesty, almost as if it were reality.”
First day on No Entry set
Celina Jaitly also recalled her first day on the sets of No Entry. “We were shooting in South Africa, inside a stunning villa by the ocean in Cape Town. My first scene was the now famous living room sequence where Anil Kapoor’s character thinks he is speaking to his wife, but then it turns out to be me and in shock, he faints,” she shared.
Recalling Anil Kapoor’s warmth and welcoming nature, Celina said, “It was overwhelming for me because I was a newcomer stepping into a scene with one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. I had grown up watching Anilji (Anil Kapoor) since I was a little child. At one point, he suddenly asked me if my long hair was real. When I assured him that it was and even invited him to check, he laughed and told me how glad he was that I had kept it long and healthy without cutting it. That small exchange broke the ice completely.”
Experience of working with Salman Khan
Celina Jaitly, who marked her Bollywood debut with Janasheen in 2003, was still a newcomer during the shoot of No Entry. Revisiting the energy on the sets of No Entry, she shared, “Salman brought a very different energy altogether. He was incredibly busy at the time, often juggling two other films alongside No Entry in Mauritius itself, yet he was a lot of fun and very protective about the girls, which was always reassuring. Anilji of course kept everyone’s spirits high with his enthusiasm, generosity, and boundless energy, and he was the epitome of professionalism. Watching him work was a masterclass in itself. Fardeen and I already shared a comfort level from our earlier films which made it easy to work together.”
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The 43-year-old added, “With the girls there was a natural camaraderie. I had known Bipasha since I was 16 from our modeling days in Kolkata. In fact, she once stood up for me when I was being bullied as a young model. Reuniting with her on No Entry felt like coming full circle and we would often catch up in Bengali. Lara (Lara Dutta) and I bonded instantly as fellow Fauji daughters and as Miss Universe sisters, and that bond has endured to this day. Esha, Lara, and I grew particularly close. Our evenings in Mauritius often ended in long Girls Only Pajama Parties in our villas.”
During the conversation, Celina also talked about a scene where Fardeen Khan chased her with a set of deer horns. While it might have looked like a light, funny on-screen moment, it was actually shot over a period of almost “two years across four different countries”. “We began filming that sequence in South Africa, continued parts of it in Bandra, then in Mauritius, and finally in Thailand. Through all of this, I had to maintain exact continuity, sprinting in a short skirt and three inch high heels for kilometers. That one running gag required immense endurance and attention to detail, even though it plays out as effortless comedy for the audience,” she revealed.
No Entry 2 announcement
No Entry 2 has already been announced and it will be directed by Anees Bazmee. Unlike the original, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, and Fardeen Khan will not be part of the sequel, which instead features younger stars like Arjun Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, and Diljit Dosanjh. Celina Jaitly revealed that she hasn’t been approached for the sequel but said that she feels proud to have been a part of the original film. “It became a mega blockbuster that continues to live in people’s hearts. Perhaps in today’s climate, with the tendency to scrutinize every subject, No Entry might have been received differently. But the innocence and purity of Aneesji’s vision made it timeless, and that is why people still embrace it with so much love,” she said.
“I was approached almost 10 years ago for No Entry Part 2, but at that time the project was shelved again. Since then my fans have been asking me countless times about the sequel because No Entry holds such a special place in people’s hearts. And it is not just because of the film itself, but because each character brought something so original to the table. People remember No Entry because of the actors who performed those roles,” the actor added.
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Celina Jaitly believes it would not be “fair” to make No Entry 2 without the original star cast. “The film is what it is because of the chemistry, individuality, and honesty that each of us brought to the script. I believe it would be even more powerful to show that actors and human beings can age gracefully, and that trust in seasoned performers, who have grown not just in age but also in craft, can create something extraordinary. I wish the makers would consider that. Of course, I do not know the reason why the same star cast has not been brought back. I am sure they have valid reasons, but in my view No Entry was No Entry because of its actors,” she emphasised.
“While I have no doubt that No Entry 2 will be successful with whoever is cast, I truly feel it would be even more successful if the original cast reunited. Not only does everyone still look fantastic, but we are all far stronger as actors than we were back then when we were still new and young. Audiences would also love to see the natural progression of the characters themselves in the imaginary timeline of the story, how they may have grown or changed over the years. That would have a huge impact,” Celina concluded.
