Mahima Chaudhary once shared that she was not interested in being part of Baghban when it was first offered to her. The film, which starred Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini, focused on an elderly couple dealing with neglect from their children. It explored changing values in families, and Mahima’s character added an important emotional layer to the story.
Mahima Chaudhary was paired opposite Salman Khan in the film. Both had extended cameo roles. Speaking about the offer, she said, “When Ravi (Chopra) ji called me for Baghban, I had no intention of doing the movie because he said Salman and I had guest appearances.” At that time, she had already done several small roles and did not want to continue doing similar parts.
She explained that she was often approached for brief appearances, which made her hesitant. She said, “People started feeling that if they included me in one of their songs, the movie would become a hit. It was very nice to be considered a lucky mascot, but all I was getting were two-four scenes or a song. I was very reluctant.”
Out of respect for director Ravi Chopra and his father B R Chopra, she decided to meet him in person to decline the role. However, things changed during the meeting. She said, “When he suggested coming and meeting me, I immediately told him that I would come over. I went to say no to him, but I couldn’t. My secretary at that time even stepped in, saying he would do it. But I stopped him, saying, ‘I will do this one more movie. It’s okay,’”
In the film, her character Arpita was shown as kind and understanding. While much of the story focused on the problems between parents and children, her role brought a sense of empathy and balance. It showed that not everyone from the younger generation lacked sensitivity.
Looking back, Mahima Chaudhary expressed satisfaction with her decision. She said, “I am so happy today. Not just that I got to work with Amitabh Bachchan, but the movie continues to have very good shelf-life. Even now, people come up to me saying they love the film and its songs. Good came out of it.”
The film also featured actors like Aman Verma, Samir Soni, Saahil Chadha, Nasir Khan, Suman Ranganathan, Divya Dutta, Arzoo Govitrikar, and Rimi Sen in supporting roles.