On his birthday, we revisit this piece where Big B gave us an insight into his relationship with his co-actors…
Waheeda Rehman
I had always admired Waheedaji as an actor and as a person even before I joined the film industry. Dilip saab (Kumar) and she have been my idols. So when I got an opportunity to work with her in Reshma Aur Shera (1971) early in my career, I could not believe my luck. To me she has always symbolised the ideal Indian woman and in her personal demeanour I found qualities that were similar to my beliefs. A quiet, modest and reserved individual, she was a picture of grace during the shooting of the film. The unit spent a great deal of time in the deserts of Rajasthan camped in tents at Pochina, a village some distance from Jaisalmer. Her elder sister, Appaji, and she were so endearing and kind to me during the stay that I never felt like a newcomer. I felt part of their family.
I can never forget a moment during the shooting of Reshma Aur Shera when we were shooting the animal sacrifice scene in the Jaisalmer Palace. The moment the gruesome bali (sacrifice), in reality occurred during Dusshera, she, who was positioned in the crowd as part of the scene, collapsed and fainted. Sunil Dutt saab and a few others including myself rushed to her side, lifted her through the crowd, somehow managed to put her in a jeep and brought her back to the makeshift hotel to revive her. I felt really sorry for her, but somewhere felt privileged that I was part of the group that took care of her.
With time I had Waheedaji as my leading lady in Adalat and Kabhi Kabhie and subsequently as my mother in several films. Apart from being the most consummate artiste, she’s always been encouraging and caring through my career, giving advice and support throughout. She still remains my idol but even more now that she has played mother to Abhishek in films. Even today whenever I meet her, her candour and affection for me are intact and I am eternally grateful for that. This and that unforgettable close up of hers in Pyaasa in the theatre when Guru Dutt appears on the balcony are unforgettable — ethereal and mesmerising!
Mehmood
Mehmood bhai’s brother Annu (Anwar Ali) and I worked in my first film Saat Hindustani (1970) and have remained close friends since. That’s more than four decades of an association. Annu and I were together all the time, during work and even otherwise. I was staying with very dear family friends at Marine Drive during those early years. Annu lived with his brother Mehmood bhai in Andheri. When it became a problem for us to commute and meet each other, Annu invited me to come and stay with him. So I moved into his independent apartment in a private apartment block, which belonged to Mehmood bhai and where his entire and very large family stayed together. Never once was I made to feel I was not part of their family.
It was Mehmood bhai who always predicted big things for me, even when I faced rejection on a daily basis. It was he who gave me the lead role in Bombay To Goa, much against severe criticism from the entire film market. When I was depressed with no work, he asked Chakkida, Mr Pramod Chakravarty, the very successful and important director of the time, to sign me. I got a signing amount of Rs 5000 for that and even though the film was never made, I know how morale boosting that moment was for me. All because of Mehmood bhai. He was the most generous and kindhearted person. He kept his entire family under his wing and looked after them as one big fraternity. To me he was the most talented actor that India had. No one has been able to match his sense of comedy. In his heyday he, the comedian, was the hero of the film, the leading man — a feat that has not been repeated since. His was a God-gifted talent, one that has never been emulated to date.
He was the most excited when success came to me. Much before I even started getting work he had coined a phrase for me – Danger Diabolic! And always referred and addressed me thus. I have no idea why he coined those words and I never asked him. After working with the legendary Raj Kapoorji he’d asked him to part with something that was his personal possession. Rajji had given him a green coloured half sleeved pullover. That had become Mehmood bhai’s greatest possession. On seeing one of my performances later on, he came over and gifted me the pullover in appreciation. I still have it with me.
Sanjeev Kumar
Hari Bhai, as he was fondly called, was another exceptional talent. His casual and carefree performances were a treat to watch. We did several films together and each one was a memorable experience. Not just because of the opportunity to learn from such an eminent artiste but also because of the time spent with him informally. A lover of life, he lived it on his own terms. Soft and gentle he had a subtle sense of humour and would delight us with his numerous anecdotes on and off the set. He was very close to Jaya (Bachchan) and was extremely fond of her. They had worked together in numerous sensitive films. He treated her like his little sister and a confidante. Food was his weakness and he never ever bothered about his appearance as a result of it. I guess, he had a premonition that he would not live long and as a result he never married for fear of leaving behind a distraught partner.
Ashok Kumar
Dada Muni was the industry’s darling. Always with a smile and a joke at any occasion. A most consummate artiste, he would always be well-prepared even when he was working in his 80s. His spirit and verve would put us kids to shame. He had trained himself and practised homeopathy and had cured several of his colleagues of some rather complex medical problems. On the set he was part of the gang, mixing and enjoying the company of those who were old enough to be his grandchildren. He was playful in nature and it was a joy to have him on the sets, narrating in his own inimitable way, the stories of days gone by.
Nutan
We were all admirers of Nutanji. Along with Waheedaji, she was the epitome of the Indian woman because of her features and for some sensitive films she did with the great Bimal Roy. A professional to the core, she would embarrass her colleagues with her punctuality and preparedness on the set. I did Saudagar with her and most of it was shot in a makeshift village at China Creek, miles out and off the road before the bridge was built on the creek. But for a 6 am shot, she was the first one to be there ready with make-up! A sensitive artiste, she gave me a lot of support during those early years in the business.
While still in the university in Delhi, I’d once seen her crossing the road with her husband (the late Captain Rajneesh Behl) in the very busy Connaught Place and almost fell off the scooter that I was riding! To have her as my leading lady was another miracle for me. Soft-spoken, she commanded respect the moment you were in her proximity. In the later years, she had begun performing on stage as a singer. At a function held near Delhi once, she was one of the participants where I had gone to make an appearance. Just before she went on stage, she asked me to walk along with her and present her to the audiences. It was a privileged and an honoured moment for me.
Amjad Khan
He called me ‘Shorty’ the first day we met on the sets of Sholay in Ramnagar, Bangalore now Bengaluru. From that day till the last we remained the dearest of friends, sharing some great personal moments and professional too. He was a ‘friend of friends’ an equivalent of yaaron ka yaar. During one of the schedules of The Great Gambler in Goa, he was driving down with his family from Mumbai, Bombay then, when he met with a terrible road accident. He was grievously injured and since he was in a region far from any civilisation, he had a most terrible time getting out of that smashed car and bringing himself and his wife and two small kids somehow to a hospital in Panjim, before collapsing into a coma. I had reached Goa earlier and on coming to know of the incident rushed to meet him. The scenario was grave. He was unconscious and breathing with difficulty. His lungs had been punctured by broken ribs and needed immediate surgery. The doctors did not advise shifting him to Mumbai.
As his condition became serious we had to take that most difficult of decisions – the responsibility of the surgical procedure. No one came forward to sign the document that absolves the doctors of any untoward incident during an operation. I spoke to his family in Mumbai and they gave consent since it was not possible for them to reach Goa immediately. When none of the production members were willing to give the signature, I took it on myself and signed the paper. The surgery within those limited conditions went off well. I organised for a chartered flight to take him back to Mumbai soon after. He survived and recovered to be back with us on the set. The incident brought us even closer. When he came out of hospital, he wrote one of the most emotional and endearing letters to me, which I have preserved to date. When I suffered the accident during Coolie, he would come and keep me company in the hospital and also later when I was convalescing. We would laugh and joke on the similarities of our hospital episodes. One morning I got a call that he had passed away in his sleep. Shocked and in disbelief, I drove to his house unable to believe that someone so close and full of life and fun was no more. It’s still impossible to believe that he is not with us. Amjad, was one who was universally loved by the industry. And by the people of this nation. A great asset was lost that day and a great friend!
Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt saab and Nargisji were the first to host me in Bombay, now Mumbai, when I was officially given a screen test to look at a prospect of entering the movie industry. It was 1968 and it was Mohan Segal, who conducted it while shooting for a film with Manoj Kumarji at Rooptara Studios. I stayed at the Ajanta Hotel, at that time spending Rs 1000 of my father’s very hard earned money, which for him was a month’s earning. After the test I was taken to meet them at their house and they took me out to a party at Sadhanaji’s place. There I witnessed a free for all fight between a producer and a journalist, plates and food being thrown at each other, unmindful of the hostess who went about her job as though nothing had happened. I found that very disturbing and remember returning to Delhi, where I was living with my parents after having resigned from my job in Kolkata, then Calcutta.
Later Dutt saab was getting set for Reshma Aur Shera where he offered me a role to play. I remember him asking me to attend the story discussions in his office along with director Sukhdev and other associates late into the night and indeed the morning. I found myself completely incapable of keeping awake during those unearthly hours and wondered how I would ever survive those extraneous circumstances. Later in my career there were many instances when we shot throughout the night into the morning, never lamenting the hours at all. Life! But the film was a delight to work on. The desert in Rajasthan, the camp where we lived for months, cut off completely from the world, meeting many of my future colleagues including Vinod Khanna and being in the company of my favourite Waheedaji.
Dutt saab and Nargisji were most supportive throughout my years, always open for meetings and visits when I went to take advice. We both worked again in Shaan and then of course went to Parliament together. He was a bold and brave individual, leading from the front always. He had a hidden desire to be a general in the army and would have, I am certain, excelled at that too. I last saw him at the ICU of the Breach Candy Hospital after his miraculous escape in the plane crash that he survived. His sudden passing away was shocking. I think he lived the role of one of his most famous portrayals of Birju in Mother India, in his real life too – the earliest angry young man of Indian cinema!
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