Acclaimed actor-director Amol Palekar – who recently released his memoir Viewfinder (in English) and Aiwaz (in Marathi) – has made some curious revelations about yesteryears’ superstar, the late Rajesh Khanna. Known for his unforgettable performance in the 70s cult classics Chhoti Si Baat, Gol Maal, Rajnigandha, Chitchor and Baton Baton Mein, among others, Amol opened up about his equation with ‘Kaka’, with whom he had worked in director Anil Ganguly’s Aanchal (1980)
Speaking in an interview with The Lallantop’s Saurabh Dwivedi, Amol said that during the late 70s and early 80s when the ‘King of Romance’ was going through a career downfall, his frustration and insecurity often led to unprofessional behavior on set. “No actor, especially a superstar like Rajesh Khanna, should belittle their co-stars. There is no need. You’ll be a superstar regardless. In our industry, they like to say things like, ‘Oh, he ate the scene up, he chewed out his co-star.’ I call these actors ‘cannibals’. I’m not like them,” he said.
Aanchal was a remake of a 1954 Bengali movie, titled Champadangar Bou. The film also featured Raakhee and Rekha in the lead. Commenting on a particular incident that took place during the film’s shooting, Amol said, “I didn’t even have lines in our scene, I didn’t make a sound. And yet, he felt the need to show the world how superior he is to me. By belittling me, he’s not gaining stature, is he? I kept thinking about this, but I decided on one thing at that moment. I would never let this happen to me. I will never do this to anyone else. Some actors go through such insecurities when they sense that their time is up.”
Considered one of Hindi cinema’s most charming and evocative actors, Kaka’s most popular films included Aradhana, Safar, Anand, Kati Patang, Aap Ki Kasam, Haathi Mere Saathi, Amar Prem, Daag and Bawarchi. However, when his career started to decline, it apparently led to a number of instances of unprofessionalism and arrogance. That said, the tussle between him and Amol while filming a scene on the set of Aanchal resulted in a serious fallout between the two talented actors.
Meanwhile, among Amol’s recent projects are Sharmila Tagore and Manoj Bajpayee starring family drama film Gulmohar, directed by Rahul V Chittella, and Raj & DK’s black comedy crime thriller series Farzi, with Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi, Kay Kay Menon, Raashii Khanna and Bhuvan Arora in the lead.
