Mumbai, Feb 9 (IANS): Actress Preity Zinta recalled how filmmaker Mani Ratnam, on the first day on the sets of her 1998 film ‘Dil Se’, asked her to go make-up free.

Preity took to Instagram, where she shared a still from the film, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala.

She said: “This picture was taken on the first day on the set of Dil Se. I was so excited to be working with Mani Ratnam sir & Shah Rukh Khan. When Mani sir saw me he smiled and politely asked me to wash my face…. But sir… my make up will come off, I said smiling …. That’s exactly what I want… Pls wash your face…. He smiled back.”

Preity thought Mani Ratnam was joking.

“I thought he was joking …. Then I realised he was not !!! So thanks to the amazing Santosh Sivan ( our Director of Photography) I filmed with a freshly washed face and got away with it. I guess he shot me Dil Se.”

The romantic thriller was set against the backdrop of Insurgency in Assam, where Manisha played a terrorist and SRK’s character was a programme executive in a radio station.

An example of parallel cinema, ‘Dil Se’ is noted as the final installment in Ratnam's trilogy consisting of Roja (1992) and Bombay (1995).

Actress Dia Mirza took to the comment section and said that Preity did not need a spot of make-up.

“Best decision! You didn’t need a spot of make up I remember watching you and thinking she looks so natural, vibrant and fresh,” Dia wrote.