Sanam Teri Kasam directors Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao reveal how they discovered Shahid Kapoor for Aankhon Mein Tera Chehra: ‘Like Salman Khan, he looked like a star’

While filmmakers Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao are widely known for their romantic drama Sanam Teri Kasam, their legacy in Indian music videos stretches far deeper. The duo has been at the forefront of India’s visual music culture since the 1990s, working with top stars and creating iconic moments on screen. In a recent appearance on the Hindi Rush Podcast, the directors opened up about their journey and the many stories that shaped it, one of the most memorable being the discovery of a young Shahid Kapoor for the song Aankhon Mein Tera Chehra. The casting that changed Shahid Kapoor’s lifeVinay Sapru recalled how the search for a fresh face led them to choreographer Shiamak Davar’s dance class. “Shiamak told us, ‘This cute boy you’re looking for, he’s in my class. You must come and look.’ So I went to the class, and there was Shahid, dancing in the background,” he said.Radhika Rao, who wasn’t initially part of the casting process, remembered how Vinay had described Shahid. “Vinay came to the office and said, ‘We’ve found a cute, urban Archie. You have to come and see this boy.’ Then he told me, ‘He’s Pankaj ji’s son, Neelima ji’s son.’”Radhika was blown away the moment she saw Shahid. “My God, Shahid was so cute to look at, and an outstanding dancer,” she recalled. As directors, they usually struggle in the edit room to find that one perfect shot, but with Shahid, every take was a gem. “We were confused which take to keep because har take kamaal ka tha (every take was fantastic).”Vinay pointed out one specific moment that convinced them Shahid was destined for greatness. “There’s a shot in the song where the alarm rings and he gets up… Radhika saw that and said, ‘This boy is a superstar. Look at that expression. He’s going to be unstoppable.’”Some faces are just meant for the cameraRadhika explained what makes an actor click on screen. “Some actors have a face that the camera just loves — place the camera anywhere and they still look great.” She compared Shahid to Salman Khan, whom she called a perfect example of camera-friendly proportions.“Salman sir, like Bhai, you don’t have to cheat angles with him. With Shahid, it was the same. Any angle, any frame — he looked like a star.”On working with Salman KhanSpeaking of Salman Khan, with whom they’ve collaborated many times, Radhika shared that directing him is a challenge in the best way. “You have to be on your toes. Salman sir is very smart — smarter than people realise.”She emphasized how Salman is a keen observer, constantly absorbing stories, characters, and nuances around him. “Woh apna poora din sirf observation mein spend karte hain… hum log phir bhi chook jaate hain, woh nahi chookte.” (He spends his entire day observing… even if we miss something, he doesn’t.)She added, “If anyone tells you Salman sir is careless, it’s the biggest lie on the surface of the earth. He’s constantly thinking about films, stories, songs, and people.”