Filmmaker Rajiv Rai discusses behind-the-scenes details from the 1989 film “Tridev,” saying Naseeruddin Shah was hesitant and felt uncomfortable while romancing Sonam in the song “Tirchi Topiwale.” Rai recalls Shah worrying about the sensuous aspect of the performance and also raising concerns about the age gap between the actors.

Rai says he reassured Shah during production, and that Shah was “a bit shy” because he was not a dance expert. The accounts also note that Sonam was enthusiastic about working with Naseeruddin Shah. Across the outlets, the focus stays on Rai’s recollections of Shah’s reaction—particularly around awkwardness tied to the age difference and comfort with dancing—rather than on later developments for the actors or film.

The coverage does not conflict on the core point: Rai describes Shah as uneasy about the romance aspect of “Tirchi Topiwale,” and specifically links that discomfort to both dancing unfamiliarity and the perceived age mismatch.