Hasmukh Ravjiani, composer Shekhar's father and ex-accordion player for Raj Kapoor's films, to pay the filmmaker a tribute with son
Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; October 7, 2016)

Not many would be aware that composer-singer Shekhar Ravjiani's father, Hasmukh Ravjiani, is a senior accordion who was associated with several Raj Kapoor films. Now, Ravjiani Sr will perform with his son for the first time on The Voice India Kids, which features Shekhar as a mentor, in a tribute to the late actor-filmmaker.

Says Shekhar, "It's hard to express how honoured I feel. This is the first time that my father will appear on screen. I was nervous and excited while shooting for the episode. Most of Raj Kapoorji's songs had accordion in them, and my father played those parts. So, it seemed natural for us to perform his songs on stage."

The duo will perform evergreen classics such as Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua and Mera Joota Hai Japani (both from 1955 film Shree 420), among other chartbusters.

Shekhar credits his father for bringing music into his life. "As a child, I wanted to be able to play musical instruments just like him. He encouraged me to get the right training and laid the foundation for my musical future," he says.

Geeta Bali’s son Aditya Raj Kapoor on Bhagwan Dada biopic which has Vidya Balan playing her
Subhash K Jha (DNA; October 13, 2015)


Aditya’s mother Geeta Bali will be played by Vidya Balan. He says, “No one has approached me about information on my mother on this film. We know nothing about it except what has appeared in the public domain. Which is fine. I am sure the makers are capable of doing justice to the film. But I could have told them so much about Geeetaji. No one knew her the way I do. I was only 9 when she died. But she left an indelible impression on me and my sister.”

He wonders which aspect of his mom’s life the film will touch on. “Is it just the film Albela? There are so many undisclosed aspects to my mom’s personality.”

Aditya is now in the process of writing a biography on his mother Geeta Bali. “It will be out by next year. It will go into areas of her personality that no one knows about. Do you know she was responsible for my father Shammi Kapoor’s ‘Yahoo’ image? She pulled him out of his obsession with socialist cinema and gave him this new, wild, sexy image. My father’s dance moves were actually my mother’s steps. If you see her dancing in Kidar Sharma’s Jabse Tumhe Dekha Hai she moves the way my dad became famous for.”

Aditya shows full faith in Vidya’s ability to play his mother. “She is very capable. And I am sure she will play my mother with dignity, grace and conviction.”