Showing posts with label Johny Lever. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Johny Lever. Show all posts
Suniel Shetty on Hera Pheri 3: "Hopefully after Welcome To The Jungle success, magic happens"
3:48 PM
Akash Bhatnagar (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 12, 2026)
Actor Suniel Shetty returned to his comic avatar, reuniting with some of his iconic co-stars from the ’90s, including Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal, in Welcome To The Jungle. The trio was also expected to be seen together in the highly anticipated Hera Pheri 3, but the film is now in limbo due to filmmaker Priyadarshan having exited the project.
“Hera Pheri is the biggest comedy franchise of my career and the nostalgia attached to it is just so heartwarming. With the memes and the film’s recall value, who wouldn’t want that to happen? Fingers crossed, hopefully after Welcome To The Jungle, something magical should happen,” he tells us.
Speaking about the recent release emerging as a success at the box office, Shetty believes that it marks a new avenue for Bollywood.
“We’ve forgotten what family entertainment means. That’s why the film is a success. I am hoping more such entertainers will come into play,” he says, adding, “The film’s success is as much of Akshay as it is Raveena’s (Tandon), Paresh bhai’s, Johny’s (Lever), mine, or any other actor’s. I piggybacked on Akshay, Paresh ji and Raveena to be a part of this successful franchise, and I am glad I wasn’t insecure with these people around me.”
A lot of what you will see in Welcome To The Jungle was created on the spot-Akshay Kumar
9:22 AM
Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; June 20, 2026)
Ahead of their upcoming ensemble comedy, Welcome To The Jungle, Akshay Kumar and Disha Patani were on the Bombay Times Lounge for a candid conversation packed with laughs, revelations and behind-the-scenes stories from the film. Akshay’s comic timing was as effortless off screen as it is on screen, while Disha brought honesty, warmth and quiet charm to the chat. The promo is out now, and the full episode will drop soon on the Bombay Times YouTube channel. Until then, here’s a sneak peek from the conversation.
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I actually do very few films, and I think you should enjoy what you do. One film shouldn’t define your entire journey. If you’re unhappy for six months or a year while making a film, then that one release day won’t mean much. The quality of your time while working matters more than quantity
— Disha on choosing happiness over chasing quantity of work
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I don’t actively post on social media, but I do keep an eye on what’s happening. Things are changing very fast these days. Even Gen Z language has changed. When I talk to my daughter (Nitara), she speaks in an entirely different language. Most of the time, I need her to explain what she’s saying, as they use so many words and phrases which are new to me
— Akshay on keeping up with Gen Z in a rapidly changing world
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Aisa koi din nahi gaya jab maine ugta hua suraj nahi dekha. Even if I have to work till late, I am up at sunrise every day of my life. Yes, I have cheat days when it comes to food, but when it comes to my mornings, that doesn’t change
— Akshay on discipline being a huge part of identity
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The funniest person I’ve met in the industry both on and off camera, was Mehmood saab. I was lucky to get a chance to work with him, though by then he was quite old. The other person who is genuinely hilarious is Johny Lever. And then there’s Asrani saab who has a unique sense of humour. Now, I am seeing Rajpal Yadav in that category
— Akshay on comedy legends who have inspired him
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A lot of what you will see in Welcome To The Jungle was created on the spot. Some of the dialogues were not in the script, they happened spontaneously. You can’t be stuck to the script all the time. Lakeer ke fakeer nahi reh sakte. In such films, you have to let the actors move and say dialogues the way they want. One person says something, another responds, and it keeps building. Comedy moves very fast. If you do it in bits and pieces, it doesn’t work. Comedy has a certain rhythm, it should not slow down
— Akshay on why comedy works best when actors are allowed to improvise
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Disha, the one thing you are still learning in this industry is…
Being okay with being around people I don’t know. I’m an introvert, so I get very nervous at times.
But that has changed over time, right? Become better?
I think I have become worse (laughs).
In fact, in an earlier interview you had said that the one place where you are not an introvert is in front of the camera
Yes, because it’s just one lens looking at you instead of people’s eyes.
I have come this far is as I have the luxury of time and the freedom because I’m single-Jamie Lever
3:08 PM
Set to perform in the city this week, comedienne-actor Jamie Lever gets candid about her comedy style and the privileges of being Johnny Lever’s daughter
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; May 17, 2026)
This is that time in Jamie Lever’s comedy calendar when she’s revising her act, tweaking jokes, adding something and subtracting what doesn’t work. The last-minute changes are on, as the comedienne gears up for The Jamie Lever Show in the city in less than a week. Giving her company in her pursuit is her uncle and mentor, Jimmy Moses. “I spent three months working on the script. My uncle has been with me throughout. As they say, comedy is a serious business,” she begins.
Lever shares she consciously approaches even a dancing reel on Instagram with the same sincerity. “A lot of young girls are looking up to me. I get messages like, ‘Didi, I’m inspired by you. We want to be multifaceted like you.’ So, I want to ace every performance, whether I am with Salman Khan on Bigg Boss or I am making a small reel,” she explains.
Naturally, there are consequences, or compromises as Lever, one of the busiest comediennes in the country, puts it. “I compromise a lot in my personal life. I’ve reached an age where one should have kids. There are these thoughts like ‘I’ve come so far, but I don’t have a lot of things that my friends have.’ But I give priority to comedy,” she says. “The only way I have come this far is because I have the luxury of time and the freedom because I’m single.”
If today her goal is to inspire younger women, the 20-something Lever had a far more personal one. “When I began, my fight was just to prove myself, to prove that I deserve to be here. My dad also said, ‘Tu thodi na paise ke liye kaam kar rahi hai. But if you want to be in this field, you have to prove yourself.’”
She recalls how protective he had been as a father, and how it surprised her that when the time came, he took a step back and let her take the stage. “He was shocked when I shared my wish to be a comedienne. I remember I was in the UK, doing a Masters in Marketing. I had a job. So, he had no idea. I also used to think that I might not get the permission to do it, and that I didn’t have what it takes to be a comic.”
“Since childhood, he has been very protective. He had a lot of rules: no sleepovers or trips, no coming home late. From there, to letting me be in this field and lending me his support the way he did was a big shift. When I decided that I was going to work in this field, my mother was surprised by how my dad’s heart just changed. He let me go out of his protective arms. My mother says that he changed as a human. He told me, ‘I could see some talent in you and I don’t want to be the one to stop that.’”
Today, of course, the father-daughter duo performs on stage, another anomaly in a society where despite several female star kids, the expectation remains that the male child will continue his father’s legacy. “Growing up I didn’t even have any examples of a comedian’s daughter making it in comedy,” she says. It was around 2012 that Lever began her career, performing at The Comedy Store, Mumbai. She made her television debut on the 2013 season of Comedy Circus, titled Comedy Circus Ke Mahabali.
While her father let her out from under his wings, his surname went with her, and Lever confesses it has brought immense privilege. “When I started my journey, I automatically had a fan following, which I did not have to work for. And that happens with star kids,” she says.
Being her father’s daughter also means easy acceptance from within the industry. Over the last few years, Lever has risen to popularity mimicking several Bollywood celebrities like Farah Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor and the late Asha Bhosle.
“I get a lot of support from the industry because everybody feels ‘Yeh toh apne Johnny bhai ki beti hai’. In fact, so many people tell me to mimic them. Once, Usha Uthup ji called me, saying, ‘You have mimicked Asha [Bhosle], do me too.’ Javed Akhtar called me to his house and asked me to perform for him and Shabana ji,” she shares. But the comedienne is mindful that impersonations don’t turn into insults.
“I have always been clear that I can’t disrespect my father’s colleagues or his fans. Just imagine if I were to do below-the-belt comedy, it would be so disturbing for his fans,” she says, adding, “My dad always told me, ‘Don’t take advantage of this privilege’.”
A part of me is gone with Asha Bhosle’s passing-Jamie Lever
2:37 PM
Kanksha Vasavada (BOMBAY TIMES; April 29, 2026)
Having “first discovered by a Gujarati magazine 20 years ago”, Jamie Lever says she owes “so much to this community”. For the actress-comedienne – who is set to perform in the city tomorrow – shares, “The Gujarati audience has supported me more than anyone, and since the start of my career, they have constantly invited me to perform. I owe so much to this community. I love how people here appreciate the art and know how to have fun, which is why Gujarati theatre is still so popular, even in Mumbai.”
She adds, “I had a lot of Gujarati friends in school, so I picked up the language at a young age and speak it fluently. Now, many people naturally start chatting to me in Gujarati, and I am absolutely thrilled to finally bring my show to a community that has encouraged me from the beginning.”
‘My focus is on offering family-oriented content’
With international artistes like Russell Peters and Trevor Noah bringing their hit tours to India, is it challenging for comics like her to keep their content relevant? “There is so much content available today that audiences are spoilt for choice, making it tougher for artistes to stand out and offer something unique. Having said that, people know what I do and appreciate my impersonations, which is where I have found my niche. My performances feature a lot of physical comedy, much like my father when he performed on stage, and the audience enjoys seeing a glimpse of him in my work.”
She adds, “I focus on keeping my content clean and family-orientated, because I want my family to be able to watch me without feeling awkward. There are fewer young comedians performing clean comedy today, so I am proud to have maintained my father’s style that way. I have created a show where 16-year-olds can come with their parents and grandparents, and everyone’s having a good time.”
‘I take each show as my start from zero’
Talking about comparisons with her father, Johny Lever, Jamie shares, “My father has worked in the industry for over 40 years and has spent 50 years on stage. He’s performed many a time in Gujarat, where the audience knows his content inside out, and often requests specific sets – which translates to added pressure and higher expectations. After 12 years of performing and perfecting my craft, I finally feel confident in what I have to offer, but I never take it lightly. Every show feels like starting from zero. I always feel that pressure, but I think it keeps me grounded.”
‘A part of me is gone with Asha ji’s passing’
Having mimicked Asha ji for 12 years, I feel a deep connection with her, and when I heard the news of her passing, I could not hold back my tears. I felt as though a part of me was gone, and I am saddened that the chance to meet her has been taken away. However, many people have written to me, asking me to keep her voice and spirit alive through my performances, and I would love to continue singing in her voice for them. I will do my best to honour her memory through my art.
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On mimicry, Jamie shares, "Impersonation involves an in-depth observation of artiste’s mannerisms, expressions, and vocal modulation. I wonder how much effort someone like Sunil Grover must put in, as he becomes a perfect replica of a person. We observe artistes with detail and precision, and while it is hard work, I love that audiences truly appreciate it."
Talking about her acting career, Jamie said, "I played a serious character recently and found it challenging. While comedy is my first love, I have also viewed myself as an actor. So, I don't want to restrict myself and want to get out of my comfort zone."
Johny Lever to play himself in Farhad Samji’s next
11:04 PM
The actor will star as himself in Farhad Samji’s next film, which will also have several superstars doing cameos
Yashika Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 24, 2026)
Legendary actor-comedian Johny Lever is all set to lead filmmaker Farhad Samji’s next film, playing a fictionalized version of himself. Interestingly, as a mark of respect and tribute to the iconic artist, stars such as Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan have decided to do a cameo for free.
They have both given one day’s time for their parts. The makers are also reportedly planning to rope in more stars for a solid ensemble for the film.
While Johnny is currently shooting in Ooty for other projects, shooting for this project is underway in Mumbai. Johnny is currently juggling between this film, Welcome To The Jungle, and Golmaal 5. While he remains unreachable, we catch up with his daughter, comedian Jamie Lever.
Jamie tells us, “I speak to him when he comes back from work every day, and he is very excited about this project. He says that he is doing something very unlike himself and has to unlearn everything he knows so far to deliver this role. It is definitely something new, a very different branch of comedy than what he is known for so far.”
Colleagues, actors fondly remember Satish Shah
8:24 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (October 27, 2025)
Veteran actor Satish Shah, beloved for his roles in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983), Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984), Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Main Hoon Na (2004), passed away at his Mumbai residence on Saturday. He was 74. An FTII graduate, Shah began with small yet striking roles in Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan (1978), Gaman (1979) and Umrao Jaan (1981), before becoming a cult favourite as the corrupt D’Mello in Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro . From Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994) to Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Shah’s warmth and comic timing defined an era of Hindi cinema. Tributes have been pouring in from actors and contemporaries who worked with him, celebrating a performer who made laughter timeless.
He used to laugh and make us laugh: Anupam Kher, who worked with Satish Shah in DDLJ, Hum Aapke Hain Koun & Judwaa
Anupam Kher paid tribute to the late actor with an emotional video on Instagram. “What is happening? In the past 3-4 days so many good people have left, that too the ones that have worked with me. Behind this empty smile of mine is a lot of sadness. Satish Shah... I used to say Satish mere Shah (Satish, my king),” he said in the video.
“He was a great friend of mine, it is just shocking. I am revisiting Switzerland where we shot Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and I saw the news that Satish Shah is no more. He was in Dilwale and Hum Aapke Hain Koun and in so many more. He used to laugh and make us laugh,” he added.
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‘We’ve lost a great artiste’
The heavens will be a merrier and a happier place now. Satish ji will make the Gods laugh out loud as they admire their own creation. Thank you for being such a solid wind beneath my wings early on in my career… for constantly believing in me and egging me on – R Madhavan, Shah’s co-star, in 1997 TV show Jamai Raja
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We’ve lost a great artiste & my dearest friend of over 40 years. It’s hard to believe – I had spoken to him just two days ago. Satish Bhai, you will truly be missed. Your immense contribution to film and television will never be forgotten – Johny Lever
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‘He made sure the child in him was always alive’
“Loving, full of life and playful just like his popular onscreen character of Indravadan Sarabhai” – that’s how the team of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai remembers Satish Shah, who played the witty patriarch of the South Mumbai family in the show that premiered in 2004.
Sumeet Raghvan said, “It is such a rude shock. He was in and out of hospital, he had kidney issues. He was a fabulous human being and an actor. We all have seen his great body of work. I’ve known him for the last 20 years, he was the real-life Indravadan Sarabhai, a prankster. I would be his partner in crime. Whenever we would chat, he would tell me, ‘Don’t let the child in you die or grow, keep the child alive’. He made sure the child in him was always alive.”
Rajesh Kumar, who portrayed the fan-favourite Rosesh, Indravadan’s younger son, said, “This is the worst hour for me. I still cannot process that Satish ji is no more. All I can say is that I feel I have lost my father. He was a man full of life and humour. He made his name and left a mark as an actor. This is a big, big loss to the industry and us, Sarabhai family.”
Shah’s co-star from Nehle Pe Dehla, Rajesh Puri, who shared a long friendship with Shah and also worked with him in multiple projects, said, “We worked together even before I did Hum Log , collaborating on several TV shows and films. I wonder what happened to him. Earlier, we used to meet a lot when we worked together. It is very unbearable at the moment.”
The veteran actor fondly recalled working with Shah on the show Nehle Pe Dehla (1999–2000), remembering how the late actor would often tease him, and make everyone laugh. “I will really miss him. It was just last week that I was thinking about catching up with him,” he added.
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HINDUSTAN TIMES (October 27, 2025)
The last rites of late actor Satish Shah were conducted in Mumbai on Sunday, a day after he died of renal failure at 74. Earlier, his mortal remains were kept at his residence in Bandra for antim darshan.
Several industry A-listers, friends, and colleagues got together to bid a final farewell to Shah, including Kunal Kohli, Jackie Shroff, Johnny Lever, Aanjjan Srivastav, Poonam Dhillon, Ali Asgar, Tiku Talsania, and Suresh Oberoi.
The cast and crew of his iconic sitcom Sarabhai vs Sarabhai were also present, including Ratna Pathak Shah, Rajesh Kumar, Rupali Ganguly, Sumeet Raghvan, Deven Bhojani, and JD Majethia were also present. Clips of them singing the show’s theme song at the cremation also surfaced on social media.
Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a still of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, writing, “Rest in glory Satish Shah.”
R Madhavan shared an old photo featuring himself, Satish and Mandira Bedi from their get-together. The three had worked together in the sitcom Ghar Jamai.
Amitabh Bachchan wrote, “Another day another work another quiet... Another one of us passes away... Satish Shah, a young talent, and has left us at a very young age. And these times of the grim... it bodes not well to express in normalcy... but the show must go on... and so it does, as does life.” They starred together in the 2008 film Bhootnath.
Anupam Kher shared an emotional video for Satish after the actor’s “shocking” death. Writing in the caption “Satish mere Shah”, he said in the video, “Kya ho raha hai yeh? Teen-chaar din mein itne acche acche log chale gaye. Kya ho raha hai yeh?”
Sumeet Raghvan wrote, “As the show continues to grow, so does our bond. Whenever we met, we didn’t talk as Sumeet, Rupali or Rajesh. Then, were Sahil, Monisha, Rosesh, Dad, and Mom. That’s how we talk with each other. Today, the head of the Sarabhai family, our most senior member, has left us. Kaafi dinon se woh joojh rahe thhe. Finally, life can be very cruel.”
Farah Khan wrote on Instagram, “Rest in peace dearest, Satish. You were a joy to know and work with. Will miss you sending me memes and jokes every day.”
Johnny Lever said, “Feeling extremely sad to share that we’ve lost a great artist and my dearest friend of over 40 years. It’s hard to believe — I had spoken to him just two days ago.”
Rajesh Kumar reflects, “All I can say is that it feels like I have lost my father.. A man full of life and humour. Challenging everything. His name left his mark as an actor. This is a big, big loss to the industry and the (Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai’s family). Let’s pray for his departed soul and keep him in your prayers.”
Rakesh Bedi remembers Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi co-star: “I’ve known him since 1974, when we joined FTII. We’ve been classmates, flatmates, and have been friends for all these years. I never saw him sulking. He would always talk about things with so much passion and joy, especially his work. Even when he was unwell, the doctor would come, and he’d crack jokes with him. This was the beauty of that man.”
We lack good comedy writers; hum bhi improvise kar sakte hai par kuch likha toh ho-Johny Lever
9:14 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; July 22, 2025)
Veteran comedian Johny Lever, who has entertained audiences for over four decades, has consciously cut down on work in recent years. The reason, he says, is simple - the lack of strong, inspiring roles. He adds, “When someone approaches me with a project, I try to see how I can take it a notch higher with my inputs. If the role is not interesting, why would I ruin my name by taking up mediocre work?”
‘Comedy pe zyada kaam nahi ho raha hai’
Last seen in Housefull 5, Lever observes that comedy is no longer being explored as actively in films. “Comedy ko kum kar diya hai, uss pe zyada kaam nahi ho raha hai. Comedy has become tough now. People are watching so much comedy in form of reels, toh aur zyada innovative comedy laaye kahan se? Also, we lack good comedy writers. Usually, we improvise and enhance a scene. Legends like Mehmood saab and Kishore Kumar saab would add their own inputs to the script. Hum bhi kar sakte hai par kuch likha toh ho. Kuch dhaancha ho toh uske upar kuch sajayenge na. Dhaancha hi nahi hai toh kya karenge? For now, there’s only action in abundance in movies.”
‘We used to observe people & imbibe their body language’
Lever also feels there are very few actors today who are keen on doing comedy or who can pull it off well. He says, “The thing is, today everybody is trained in a film school. But the theoretical knowledge doesn’t work on set. When you are on a set, you have to follow the cues of the team members. We used to observe people and imbibe their body language for our characters. Character ko andar se jeete the. Pagalon ki tarah kaam karte the.”
‘Comedy mera shauk tha aur phir mera profession ban gaya’
One of the reasons he supported daughter Jamie Lever’s decision to step into comedy is that he didn’t receive that kind of support from his own father. “Whenever I used to go on stage, my dad used to come to hit me. Once, I was performing at the Shanmukhananda Hall in Mumbai, and he came with a rubber pipe and began chasing me. The audience thought it was part of the act and started laughing and clapping,” he says.
On a nostalgic note, he says, “One day, I shot an ad and was paid Rs 25,000. It was equivalent to dad’s provident fund, which he received after 25 years of service. That is when he realized, ‘Mera beta kuch kar raha hai.’ He would be surprised to see people clap and laugh while watching me perform. It opened his eyes. Comedy mera shauk tha aur phir woh mera profession ban gaya.”
‘Comedy is in Jamie’s blood’
Lever, known for his roles in Baazigar, Koi… Mil Gaya, Awara Paagal Deewana and Golmaal Again, beams with pride when speaking about his daughter Jamie, who has carved a niche in the comedy space. “See, that’s in her blood. Initially, she didn’t plan to pursue comedy as a career. She was studying in London. One day she visited a café with her friends where a live stand-up performance was on and she suddenly told her friends, ‘Yeh barabar nahi kar raha. He is missing all the punches.’ She pointed out where the comedian could have added the punches. Then she called her mom up and said she aspires to do stand-up. Pehle mujhe gussa aa gaya, because I’ve been through struggles, and I was worried that my daughter would also have to go through that,” he says.
I come from the Mr Johny Lever school of comedy, a flag bearer of clean comedy-Jamie Lever
9:27 AM
Janice Rodrigues (BOMBAY TIMES; February 23, 2025)
On stage, she is hilarious and her impersonations are on-point, but there’s so much more to her as a person. Following in her father Johny Lever’s footsteps, Jamie Lever is very aware that she has big shoes to fill. After her recent show in Goa, Jamie spoke to us about her career and doing clean comedy. Excerpts:
Stand-up comedy is a more male-dominated area. Was it difficult for you, a female comedian, to get a break?
At the start of my journey, I never put myself in the category of a female comedian; for me, the fight was just to make my mark as a comedian. It was important that I respectfully find my position, not just be a star kid, who is trying her hand at comedy. True, there are fewer female comics today; it’s not an art form that parents support women to do. It is also a bit hard for society to accept female comics. But now, things are changing and women have become more confident and bolder and are the ones telling the jokes.
There’s a fine line between impersonating and offending somebody. How do you strike a balance?
We must be very conscious of the fact that when we prepare something, we should not cross the line. I come from the Mr Johny Lever school of comedy, a flag bearer of clean comedy. I grew up knowing that this is the only style of comedy I must do. It is a conscious choice, but it also came naturally. About keeping a balance, yes, it does happen, you might offend somebody. For example, I impersonate a lot of actors, but I will not say anything personal about their character or family. It is all in good humour, and that is why in my case, most of these actors have reached out to me, saying, ‘We really enjoyed our impersonation.’
Coming back to the clean comedy versus crass/roasting, what is your take on that?
Roasting is an art form, much appreciated abroad, but not so much in India. Some have attempted roasting in the past, and they have failed miserably. India is not ready for roasting. Roasting happens abroad on a public platform, and many big celebrities are roasted with the who’s who in the audience and they all enjoy it. Yes, it may spark some controversy later, but they are still accepting of that art form. Whereas in India, when you do a roast, there are FIRs and complaints filed, which is understandable because our culture doesn’t allow it. It hurts sentiments, because we are very emotional people, our upbringing, our roots, our conditioning, doesn’t allow that kind of insult and humiliation. So I think comics need to be aware... Especially given the current scenario where episodes have been taken off. So, yes, we have to draw the line somewhere.
On comparisons with dad Johny Lever
When I started working, I didn’t have any of those thoughts. It was my own inner battle, to fight with my insecurities and self-doubts. But yes, when I stepped into the industry, the first thing they said, ‘Oh, you will be compared with your father’ and that’s when it struck me. But I never took that pressure because I will never be able to match up; It’s a fact. A man who’s worked in the industry for over 40 years, and on stage for over 50 years, done over 500 films... how can I ever match up? I had to just be on my own journey.
Family member and friends of Junior Mehmood recount the man and legacy he leaves behind
8:08 AM
Family member and friends of the late Junior Mehmood recount the man behind the name, and the legacy he leaves behind
Gautam S Mengle (MID-DAY; December 17, 2023)
The year was 1981 and shooting for Shyam Ralhan’s Jeeo Aur Jeene Do was underway. The scene showed the legendary actor Pran as a dacoit who leaves the mountains of Chambal to come to Mumbai. Unfamiliar with the ways of the city, Pran’s character lies down on a pavement to rest for the night when the local goon’s sidekick shows up to demand hafta. The deadly dacoit responds by placing his leg on the collection bowl. The sidekick, not to be outdone, raises his fist and says, “Ae shaane, pair nikaal, haath jeb mein daal aur hafta nikaal.”
Placing of the leg on the bowl was not in the original script, and neither was the sidekick’s response. But Pran sahab, as he was known, was offended by the artiste’s improvisation, perceiving it as impudence. The shoot halted for over two hours, with the director having to intervene to soothe the veteran.
The actor who played the sidekick, too, was surprised. He had only responded the way his character would have. He was none other than Naeem Sayyed, better known as Junior Mehmood, who passed away on December 8 after a short battle with stomach cancer.
“I don’t know this specific story,” says his son Rafiq, “but it’s typical of Dad. I’ve grown up hearing stories about how, as soon as the camera started rolling, he would do something completely different than what was rehearsed. And not once did the scene have to be reshot. Directors always loved it when he pulled this on them.”
Over time, actors learned not to take it personally. By the time he passed away in 2013, Junior Mehmood had become ‘Mera Junior’ for Pran.
We meet Rafiq in the compound of the Dara House building in Khar. Rafiq and his younger brother Hasnain were both born in this house, which Junior Mehmood bought at the age of 12 in 1967. “Of course, the legal owner was our grandmother, but it was all Dad’s money. He was a star at the time and earning in lakhs,” Rafiq recalls.
Best remembered as the first child artiste to win a Filmfare award, Junior Mehmood’s legacy includes his unforgettable performance in Brahmachari, where he danced to a recorded version of Hum Kaale Hain Toh Kya Hua Dilwaale Hain, a song originally picturized on the actual Mehmood. He went on to give us a string of equally memorable performances in various films before moving on to TV serials.
The son of a locomotive pilot working with the Mumbai Port Trust, Junior Mehmood got his foot into the film industry at the age of ten, with Mohabbat Zindagi Hai that released in 1966, but he was only properly noticed during Suhaag Raat in 1968, when both Jeetendra and the original Mehmood appreciated him, and bestowed his lifelong sobriquet on him.
His last project was a Hyderabadi film named Majja Masti, which he directed this year and is yet to be released.
The loss is still fresh for the Sayyeds. The actor’s wife is observing the 130-day grief period of Iddah, and Rafiq has taken it upon himself to be the rock of the family. Just before we meet him, we see him talking to a gentleman. We stand at a distance out of respect but still overhear the words, “spoke to him only a few days ago”. Everyone seems shocked at the sudden loss. Nobody seems to have seen this coming.
It is only after the man leaves that we learn he was a lyricist, and that Junior Mehmood was collaborating with him for a project. Perhaps the reason why everyone is so shocked at his demise is the fact that he was fully energized till his final days.
“He performed at our building’s function in Diwali just a month ago!” says Inderpal Singh Kohli, who lives on the third floor of the same building. “He gave us a box of mithai with his own hands. My kids used to love him too. That’s just how Mehmood Uncle was, everyone’s favourite.”
Junior Mehmood was diagnosed only two months ago, and that too by accident. “He had been complaining of a constantly upset stomach for several days,” recalls Salam Kazi, who runs the YouTube channel India Asks. Kazi has been a family friend for 25 years.
“It got so bad that whenever we went out to eat, he’d first check if the place had a washroom, because he was unable to retain food in his system. I took him to a doctor, who prescribed a series of tests. When all the results were normal, we did a CT scan of his stomach. The doctor told us he had cancer,” Kazi recalls.
What followed was a series of tests at the Tata Memorial Hospital. As kindly as they could, the doctors told Kazi that chemotherapy would mean instant death, and that taking Junior Mehmood home was the best option. Since then, he had a nurse and a doctor tend to him, while he spent his days in the company of his family and close friends. Hundreds of well wishers came to see him, and Junior Mehmood recognized every one of them, and inquired after their well being.
“That is simply how sahab was. Every day, people would come to him for help, and not a single person would go back disappointed,” says Mangalaprasad Yadav, who has been working as a security guard at the Dara House since 1992. Yadav was at Junior Mehmood’s side during his constant visits to Tata Memorial.
Yadav recalls how Junior Mehmood would give him a Rs. 500 note to get him a pack of cigarettes and never ask for the change. Rafiq knows this too. “I asked Dad once and all he said was ‘uska ek din ka kharcha nikal jaega (he will have money to spend on a day’s essentials)’. I don’t recall Dad ever not thinking about someone else. He used to have a large amount of money in his bag, which he always carried. Whenever someone came for help, he would dip into the bag and give him whatever money came out, without counting.”
For Kazi, like countless others, it has been a personal loss. His phone has been ringing constantly. Everyone knew how close he was to Junior Mehmood, and he has been getting condolences from all over the country. He answers each call, thanks the caller and says the same thing: Dua kijiye unko jannat naseeb ho.
“I first met him on the set of a film around 25 years ago. I loved watching shoots. We got talking during the lunch break and he asked me where I live. When I said Wadala, he told me he too lived there till he shifted to Bandra,” Kazi tells us as we ride on his bike past Building Number 23 in Nadkarni Park, Junior Mehmood’s former residence. “I went back to the set to meet him and he not only recognized me but also put his arm around me like we were old friends.”
Kazi’s videos on social media alerted the world to Junior Mehmood’s plight. He posted it a week before the latter’s demise, and as a result, co-stars such as Jeetendra, Sachin Pilgaonkar and Johny Lever came rushing to meet Junior Mehmood. Also present throughout was comedian-actor Johny Lever, who arranged for Junior Mehmood’s check up at the Tata Memorial Hospital after hearing about his illness.
“I first saw him perform at a dance programme when we were both nine years old,” Lever tells mid-day on the phone. “We didn’t interact at the time, and the next time our paths crossed, Brahmachari had released and he was a big star. He was the chief guest at a dance audition in Bandra and I was too embarrassed to perform in front of him. I prayed to God that I should not be selected, and God answered my prayers.”
From then on, Lever never missed any of Junior Mehmood’s films and also tried to meet him several times, but there would always be a huge crowd outside his building. “This led to his father getting to know me!”
He says. “Then, in 1982, a cassette of one of my comedy performances was released and he sought me out because he loved it. Before we knew it, we were fast friends. We also performed together at live programmes and in films. Our kids have grown up playing with each other.”
Like many, Lever, too, can’t believe that the powerhouse of energy is gone. “We had a function in August to remember the original Mehmood, and Junior danced to and sang his songs. I’m not sure if he knew he was falling ill, but I believe he didn’t want his treatment to come in the way of his passion, and hence didn’t tell anyone,” Lever says.
“We never told him his diagnosis but I think he knew. Two days before his death, I asked him if he had any unfulfilled wishes. He said no, he just wanted to be remembered as a good man. I think even God will not deny this fact,” says Kazi.
He isn’t sure if he can say the same about many people who worked with Junior Mehmood, though.
“There are so many megastars who stay in the same city, who we have seen with Junior bhai in so many films. And none of them came to his funeral,” a pensive Kazi says. “They should have, right? I’m sure they could have, if they really wanted to.”
Junior Mehmood’s elder son Rafiq remembers his father who spared no effort to help the people around him, from old friends to rank strangers. Pic/Sameer Markande
Neighbour Inderpal Singh Kohli recalls Junior Mehmood performing at the society’s Diwali function, and is still struggling to believe he is gone; (right) Stars like Jeetendra came rushing down to meet Junior Mehmood after learning about his failing health, while Johnny Lever, his old friend, was by his side throughout
I think you have to give us comedians the audacity to be imperfect-Vir Das
8:27 AM
From Noida to Nigeria to the stage in New York where he became the first Indian comedian to win an Emmy award, it’s been quite a journey for Vir Das. In an interview to Kritika Sharma, the 44-year-old talks about the early days of DIY standup, and his brush with controversy
Kritika Sharma (THE TIMES OF INDIA' November 26, 2023)
Congratulations on winning the Emmy. How’s the experience been?
I haven’t slept in about six days as I have seven shows lined up. But it has been a tremendous amount of love and nothing like I have ever experienced in my career. No one thought that we were going to be nominated for an Emmy and win the award, I wasn’t even supposed to be in America. I was supposed to be in Bengaluru and in other Indian cities. I went there to cheer for Shefali (Shah).
This was your second nomination. You must’ve had a hope that you would win this time?
I did not think I was going to win, because the last time I was there I lost to a massive show called ‘Call My Agent’. Even this time, I was against the massive Netflix show ‘Derry Girls’. I was kind of an underdog who got thrown in there.
Why do you think your special ‘Landing’ won?
The last show that I did ‘Vir Das: For India’ was very much like a comfort show — I like to think of it as rajma chawal. People thought that he is talking about all the things that we love, and it makes us feel like home. However, I realised that I had not let my audience into my personal life. I kind of went for it and let my audience know me with ‘Landing’. I think that resonated with the audience, as well as the idea of carrying the idea of home with us wherever we go. As we become more global, this is something that we can relate to.
Is there a difference between your audience in India and abroad?
Pretty much wherever I go it’s about 50-50 (Indians and locals). All of them expect an authentic Indian story. They already have a local, palatable version of the Indian diaspora from successful Indian American and British Indian comics, so they expect me to come up with something that they haven’t already heard of. That is kind of what I like doing, taking stories from Noida to Norway and stuff from DPS to Dublin.
Tell us a little about your initial journey as a stand-up.
I was quite young when I started, and looking for other people to collaborate with. Being a comedian is like being the only one in the room who sees the ghost, and you’re just kind of looking around to see if anybody else sees the ghost too. When you find that person, you kind of gravitate towards each other. That’s kind of how we started the comedy scene in India. In the early days, we used to do amateur nights and pretty much every senior comic in India came out of it. We had to do the ticketing, marketing and then do the headlining and ring the bell to let each other know that we were out of time. It was all DIY at that time, and it was a lot of fun. There was no context for what was good or bad comedy; we were just trying things.
Your Noida school teacher says you were interested in theatre as a child. How did the shift to comedy happen?
Ever since I was five years old, if you put me on the stage, I would be very comfortable. I did a bachelors in theatre minor from Knox college, Illinois. I had done some 25-30 plays and after that I needed an art form which was a little more organic and a little more rebellious. But the theatre training did help because it lets you be comfortable on stage.
Who are your inspirations in comedy?
Johny Lever. I think everyone should watch Johny Lever perform live, at least once in their lifetime. The others who inspire me are George Carlin and Richard Pryor.
Your 2021 monologue in Washington DC titled ‘I come from two Indias’ sparked a lot of outrage. How did you deal with it and what do you think about comedians being targeted in India?
I think you have to give us comedians the audacity to be imperfect. As for the trolls on social media, if you are going to take the freedom and traction that comes with social media to promote your art, then you have to take the flip side too. If I’ve ever been in the spotlight for any kind of reason, the first thing I’ve done is write a joke about it.
Do these things make you worry about how your audience is going to react to some jokes?
My audience is too diverse to predict what they are going to like and what they will not like. I just have to go with gut instinct, and hopefully they realize that it all comes from the same heart. The audience ranges from 18 to 60-year-olds with varying ideologies and religions. If I try and second guess myself, I will drive myself insane. I hope that they realize that this comedy is coming from a place of love.
Earlier people would laugh if actors asked for scripts in advance-Manoj Pahwa
8:47 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 23, 2023)
Today, the Hindi film and television industry is known to function in a very meticulous and disciplined manner, with a fixed schedule for everything. However, this wasn’t always the case, says Manoj Pahwa.
Looking back at his initial days in the industry, the actor says, “In the 1990s and early 2000s, people would laugh if actors asked for a script in advance. Kareeb 20 saal pehle, aisa bolte the, ‘Script kya hai? Koi script nahin maangta hai. Set pe jo hoga, hoga’. But, those times are long gone. There is a lot of discipline in the industry now. You get to know about everything beforehand.”
It is not uncommon that makers look at experienced actors to carry a part of a film on their shoulders. Recollecting one such incident, the 59-year-old shares, “I remember once, a maker cast me as a hawaldaar [in a project] and I wasn’t given any script. Once I reached the set, they expected me to just act and do something funny. That felt weird.”
But the Bawaal actor is glad that things are changing. He cites another incident that took place with actor Johny Lever: “He said people would just cast him in films and he had to create a scene and bring something funny [to the script]. This doesn’t happen now though. The times are changing. We, actors, are given a bound script one month in advance so that we are prepped properly.”
Main serious roles kyun karoon? Even when I’m at a funeral, people will look at me and laugh-Johny Lever
8:15 AM
Yvonne Jacob (BOMBAY TIMES; February 10, 2023)
When Johny Lever is on stage, there’s never a dull moment. This was on display during his recent interaction at the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) where he conducted a masterclass on the topic of ‘Humour in cinema’.
Speaking about his journey, Lever said, “Comedy is something that cannot be taught. It can be improved with practice, but if you’ve got it in you, it will come out naturally.”
From stage shows to acting in over 400 films, Lever’s name has become synonymous with comedy. However, he shared that acting was challenging. “I didn’t have knowledge about acting. I wouldn’t understand how to give actions or reactions because it requires you to get into the character. That was a challenge for me. I mimicked actors like Ashok Kumar, Jeevan and Jagdeep, but the transition to acting was difficult and I struggled for 12 years to get that right,” he said.
Recalling a time when he was trying to do a scene for director K Balachander’s film, Lever shared, “During the scene, K Balachander asked, ‘Yeh kaun hai?’. That gave me sleepless nights. So, I tried to learn and now when I’m called for films and someone asks who the writer is, people say ‘Writer kyun? Johny Lever hai na. Woh kar lega.’ But yes, there were times when I would go on the set and start acting and people would tell me ki bhaiya camera toh idhar hai.”
Lever said he considers Charlie Chaplin as his godfather and the late comedian Johnny Walker as a man with profound knowledge. Lever also added that comedy was a serious business and not everyone can do it. “But nowadays directors and writers lack the discipline and compromise on content. One cannot just make people laugh at trivial things. Comedy must be ingrained in a person and comedians are born with it. Reacting to other actors’ is an important trait for comedians on screen and that’s something I learned through observation during shoots,” said Lever.
Finally, talking about why he prefers to stick to comedy, he said, “Main serious roles kyun karoon? Even when I’m at a funeral, people will look at me and laugh.”
‘Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan’ host Tabassum passes away
8:21 AM
Bella Jaisinghani (THE TIMES OF INDIA; November 20, 2022)
Mumbai: Veteran film actress and one of India’s earliest and best loved talk show hosts, Tabassum, died after suffering two successive cardiac arrests on Friday. The artiste, whose career spanned almost 75 of her 78-year lifespan, anchored Bombay Doordarshan’s most popular talk show ‘Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan’ from 1972 to 1993.
Born Kiran Bala Sachdev in Bombay in 1944, she made her debut as Baby Tabassum in 1947. She was married to Vijay Govil, brother of actor Arun Govil. Her son Hoshang reportedly said she passed away at 8:40 pm in hospital where she was admitted for a gastrointestinal ailment. Tabassum had tested positive for Covid earlier in April.
Audiences caught an early glimpse of the voluble child artiste in two Dilip Kumar-Nargis classics. The first was ‘Jogan’, followed by ‘Deedar’ featuring the evergreen horseback song ‘Bachpan ke din bhula na dena’ with another child artiste Parikshit Sahni. In both films, her large emotive eyes and clear speech marked her as an actor of promise.
Sahni said, “Her death is such sad news. I was a novice during ‘Deedar’, she was a child star by then though she was younger than me. But what a nice person! She had a strong command over Hindi and Urdu even at that early age.”
Her other films are ‘Mera Suhaag’ (1947), ‘Manjhdhar’ (1947) and ‘Badi Behen’ (1949). Her last film appearance was ‘Swarg’ (1990). Her noteworthy songs ‘Rekha O Rekha’ (‘Adhikar’) as well as ‘Dekho bijli dole bin baadal ke’ from ‘Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon’, where she played Asha Parekh’s impish friend, are still popular. ‘Pyar Ka Mausam’ and ‘Heer Ranjha’ are also memorable.
Tabassum passed away even as Bombay Doordarshan is celebrating its golden jubilee. Former DD colleagues mourned the end of an era. Manmohan Singh Rawat, who was assistant director in ‘Phool Khile. . . ’ from 1984 recalled Tabassum as a “fine human being, cheerful with an impeccable command over Hindi and Urdu”.
He said, “She had her own performance troupe ‘Tabassum Hit Parade’ which launched the careers of Johny Lever and Sunidhi Chauhan. She even wrote a joke book.”
Former programme executive Anita Rai of ‘Chhayageet’ fame said, “We had a long beautiful relationship. We used to produce ‘Phool Khile...’ where she interviewed famous film personalities with ease and confidence. She was a kind-hearted and jovial person. Tabassum ji respected every person and had an amazing memory. She used to call everyone in the unit by name even if she met them after a gap. Kids used to enjoy her company in a programme titled ‘Story Time’.”
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Co-stars Anil Kapoor, Sudha Chandran and Indraneil Sengupta remember the veteran actor-host’s zest for life and child-like laughter
Upala KBR , Priyanka Sharma, Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; November 20, 2022)
Hindi cinema has lost its smile. Veteran actor-television host Tabassum, whose association with the screen was as long as India’s Independence, has passed away. Tabassum died on Friday following a cardiac arrest. She was 78.
“She was admitted to a hospital due to gastro problems. She suffered from two cardiac arrests in an interval of two minutes and passed away around 8.40 pm,” her son Hoshang Govil said, adding that the funeral took place on Saturday. Her family has organized a prayer service scheduled for Monday to “celebrate her legacy and beautiful smile”.
At a young age, Tabassum entered the industry with the screen name ‘Baby Tabassum’ in the film Nargis (1947). Her screen presence ensured that she soon became the first choice for younger versions of then prominent actors like Nargis (Deedar, 1951) and Meena Kumari (Baiju Bawra, 1952). Tabassum took a gap from the screen and then returned in the ’60s as an adult actor.
But her relationship with the big screen wasn’t the same anymore. That’s when Tabassum took to television, which was at its nascent stage in the country. She loved movies, not the medium. So, in 1972, Tabassum began hosting Indian TV’s first talk show, Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan, which featured her interviewing film stars.
Anil Kapoor, who featured alongside Tabassum in the 1986 comedy Chameli Ki Shaadi, which was also among her last film appearances, shares he and his family were big fans of her talk show that they named their 1978 production starring Rishi Kapoor and Moushumi Chatterjee after the show. “That was the impact of her show. She was a lovely lady, always cheerful and positive, smiling and laughing, vibrant, and full of energy. She was one of the pioneers of hosting shows,” Kapoor says.
It was a moment of honour for dancer-actor Sudha Chandran to feature alongside the yesteryear actor in her film, Nache Mayuri (1986). Chandran claims she grew up watching Tabassum’s Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan. The actor shot for Tabassum Talkies (her YouTube channel) a few days before the veteran actor’s sudden death. “Age was just a number for her. She had so many anecdotes to share and was always full of life and cheer. For me, it was like a dream come true to sit and talk to someone with [such an illustrious] career. Although it was 35 years ago that we worked on Nache Mayuri, but I remember being so young and star struck at that time. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. You could listen to her endlessly because she had a great command over language and an unexpected innocence.”
Popular television actor Indraneil Sengupta, who played her grandson in the show Pyaar Ke Do Naam: Ek Raadha Ek Shyaam (2006), remembers her as his grandmother even after the director said cut. While it is common for senior actors to wear a sense of seriousness in their demeanour, Tabassum always carried a child-like glee, says Sengupta. “She was fond of me and Barkha [Sengupta, his wife and co-star]. She never had the aura of a senior [actor] and was always like a grandmother showering you with love. There are many good people, but rarely do you find someone, who exudes positivity 24/7. Tabassum ji was that person,” he says.
Unlike most actors of yore, Tabassum always moved with the times and sought relevance. She was also a connoisseur of cinema, which made her seek a new audience in both old and young. In 2015, she launched her YouTube channel Tabassum Talkies, where she shared untold stories of iconic film artistes.
Journey in showbiz
- Nargis (1947)
- Deedar (1951)
- Baiju Bawra (1952)
- Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan (1972)
- Mughal-e-Azam (1960)
- Tum Par Hum Qurban (1985)
- Naache Mayuri (1986)
- Pyaar Ke Do Naam: Ek Raadha, Ek Shyaam (2006)
- Ladies Special (2009)
- Tabassum Talkies
Shooting with Dharmendra and Johny Lever is like living a dream-Ranveer Singh
8:46 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 8, 2022)
During our interactions with Ranveer Singh, he has always expressed how lucky he feels to be an actor, to work with industry stalwarts and live his dream. During a recent chat while talking about the kind of gratitude he feels for being a part of the industry for over a decade, the actor spoke about some instances that left him feeling surreal and emotional.
Ranveer shared, “There was this one time when I was shooting on Rohit Shetty’s set for Cirkus. I walked past the vanity vans to reach the set. While passing, I came across a van that had Johny Lever’s name on it. It struck me in that flash of a moment that I’m working with a legend. Johny Lever is an industry stalwart when it comes to comedy. I was about to perform a scene with Johny sir, whose comedy shows we’ve seen for years before he became an actor. It was among the first live comedy shows my father took me to watch when I was a kid at an auditorium in Juhu. Johny sir would bring out his trademark white handkerchief and wipe his sweat. It’d be hot on the stage and he’d still be dishing out one great humour piece after another. ”
The other extraordinary moment for Ranveer was when he shared screen space with veteran actor Dharmendra in Karan Johar’s upcoming directorial Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. Ranveer said, “On the set, Karan was briefing us. Dharam ji was in the room and he was intently listening. And when I began to perform the scene with him in the frame, it was just him and me, and I realised what a moment it was! Who gets to do this? How did I even get here? Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to believe that it’s all happening to me. Working with these stalwarts is like living a dream.”
The bigwigs of the industry are spending crores in all sorts of things, but not investing in good writers-Johny Lever
7:53 AM
Abhimanyu Mishra (BOMBAY TIMES; June 29, 2022)
Johny Lever started doing stand-up comedy long before stand-up comedy became popular in India. And since then, he has portrayed some memorable characters and given some of the most hilarious on-screen moments. Even today, Johny Lever continues to tickle the funny bone with his acts. The master comedian feels that comedy is one of the most difficult acts to pull off and it requires impeccable writing to make the audience laugh.
Talking about the dearth of quality comedy in the entertainment industry, he says, “If you notice, there are hardly any out-and-out comedy films being made now. And it is not possible to do so because the writers are not well supported. One writer is working on multiple projects at the same time as he has to support himself financially. So, how do you expect that writer to create something extraordinary when his mind is not at one place. Producers should ask writers to take time and come up with great content. They should be paid well so that they feel encouraged and inspired to write their best. The bigwigs of the industry are spending crores in all sorts of things, but not investing in good writers and good writing.”
Reflecting on his journey in showbiz, he shares, “I started doing stand-up comedy when I was being paid in double digits. And slowly, I made my way up. But as my pay increased, so did the expectations. Once you do well, the audience as well as the industry expects you do the same every single time. It is a responsibility that every popular artiste deals with in his career. And we must strive to justify our popularity, fan’s love and the kind of remuneration we get.”
He further adds, “Being a star is not only about charging huge amounts, it is also about owning the product and delivering what is expected out of you. I work with the same burden, but I take it as a challenge and do my best to entertain people.”
A lot of people actually imitate Kishore Bhanushali rather than the real Dev Anand-Geetika Narang Abbasi
8:30 AM
Abbasi’s film is about Kishore Bhanushali, a Dev Anand lookalike, Firoz Khan who imitates Amitabh Bachchan and Prashant Walde, a Shah Rukh Khan replica
A documentary on the lives of movie star lookalikes delves into questions of identity, attention and the conviction required to sustain in a notoriously difficult industry
Sucheta Chakraborty (MID-DAY; January 16, 2022)
Geetika Narang Abbasi has always been a fan of Hindi films and songs and had wondered why in spite of Hindi cinema’s enormous cultural impact around the world, there aren’t enough films made on the films. “We don’t even have documentaries on our major stars,” points out the director, whose last documentary was the 2012 Much Ado about Knotting about the matchmaking industry in India. While watching the film Apartment some years ago, she spotted Kishore Bhanushali, a Dev Anand lookalike, and the idea of making a film on these imitation artistes, who were once very popular, took hold. “There was a time when one saw these people during stage shows, in Lehren, in film magazines and advertisements. I wondered where they were now.”
Abbasi’s new documentary Urf, which will premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam later this month, takes a peek into the lives and stories of these doubles, combining the director’s interests in Hindi cinema and questions of identity.
Apart from Bhanushali, Abbasi interviews two other performers in the film: Firoz Khan who imitates Amitabh Bachchan, and Prashant Walde, a Shah Rukh Khan replica. Apart from the connection that she shared with each of these actors, there were several reasons says Abbasi for choosing them among the many star lookalikes she met. She had loved Bhanushali’s work in films like Dil. What was also interesting, she shares, was the observation that he made in her film that to impersonate Ashok Kumar, he chose not to copy Kumar directly but to imbibe Johnny Lever’s impersonation of the actor.
“Similarly, a lot of people who imitate Dev Anand actually imitate Kishore [Bhanushali] rather than the real Dev Anand,” says Abbasi. Again, what struck her about Khan was his choice of career given that he didn’t resemble Bachchan at all. “For most of the lookalikes, their careers happened by destiny rather than choice when people started comparing them to the stars,” she observes.
Khan, however, impressed by Bachchan’s persona, started impersonating him and came to Mumbai from Budaun to showcase his talent. On the other hand, Walde, who works as Shah Rukh Khan’s body double in films and advertisements is the one in closest proximity to the star. Moreover, Abbasi relates that his romance with his wife is a lot like the fabled one between Shah Rukh and his wife Gauri.
“Prashant’s wife was a huge fan of SRK and used to pray that she would get to marry him and says in the film that she forgot to clarify that she meant the original SRK,” laughs Abbasi. Further, the three imitated stars of three different generations, their relationships with their careers, too, vary in accordance. “While Kishore looks at his life, career and journey objectively, Firoz and Prashant can’t dissociate themselves from the stars.”
What also surprised the Gurgaon-based Abbasi about these artistes was the normalcy of their lives, even as she saw them seamlessly switching between their real selves and the stars they impersonate. “They are often seen as cheap copies of the movie stars and mocked by people. I was conscious of the fact that this needed to be their story, that I should not be judgemental and that they should not come across as laughing stocks,” she insists, her aim being to present the reality of their lives with utmost honesty.
At the same time, she also realised in due course that there is a make-believe world that such performers have to create around themselves, a world made up of an unshakeable faith in themselves as artistes and a belief in the industry that will eventually lead them somewhere. “They have a lot of conviction in what they do and that was a huge learning lesson for me as well. It is not important to get validation from others,” says Abbasi.
Simultaneously, working on the film also brought her closer to people who struggle as performers in Mumbai, their idea of their place in it often bordering on delusion. “But these people have really adapted to the industry and are surviving because of their conviction in themselves and their faith in cinema.”
Geetika Narang Abbasi
After Shagufta Ali opens up about her financial woes, CINTAA offers monetary aid; seeks Salman Khan’s help
8:18 AM
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; July 7, 2021)
On Monday, news broke that TV actor Shagufta Ali has been facing a financial crunch, owing to lack of work and the rising cost of her medical treatment. As soon as word of her condition reached the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA), the body sprang into action.
Amit Behl, senior joint secretary, CINTAA, reveals that while they have initiated the process of offering financial assistance, the body also intends to seek Salman Khan’s help. “Being the self-respecting individual that Shagufta is, she was initially reluctant to take our help, but we’ve convinced her. We’ll also reach out to Salman Khan’s Being Human foundation on this matter,” he says.
Nupur Alankar, care committee (mental and physical Health Department), CINTAA, adds, “As per the CINTAA constitution, there is a limited amount [that former members are eligible for]. We have offered her the sum, and will manage the rest through fundraisers.”
Ali has been part of many popular shows, including Saans and Bepannaah, in her 36-year career. The actor, whose health deteriorated after she was diagnosed with diabetes, says that she initially refrained from seeking help as she struggled over the past four years. “On the work front, I’d get many scripts, but the projects would fall through at the last minute. My sugar level shot up, and I am on insulin. The diabetes has affected my eyesight so much that every 40 days, I have to get scans done. Basis the report, the doctor decides whether I should be given an injection in my eyes or opt for laser.”
The actor, 54, took the struggles on the chin, believing that the tough phase will pass. She adds that Neena Gupta, Sumeet Raghavan and Sushant Singh lent her a helping hand during her difficult times. “Johny Lever and several people called me yesterday [after learning of my condition]. Now, I have to gather myself and start working again.”
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Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 7, 2021)
The Coronavirus pandemic has led to work drying up, which meant no income flow for many artistes. Actor Shagufta Ali, unfortunately, is one of them and is in dire need of financial help. A popular face, she has been part of shows like Saans, Parampara and Junoon among others, and has been working since ’89. But due to her ill health, she hasn’t been able to work for the last four years. A cancer survivor, the actor had to sell her car and jewellery to makes ends meet.
“People close to me knew about my problems and the war I have been fighting. I have been a private person but my health issues and financial troubles have been many,” she says.
Right now, she needs help to pay her monthly bills and other expenses including treatment for diabetes and eyesight. Once better, she wants to start work. Cine & TV Artists Association (CINTAA) has reached out to her offering help. “I will accept their help but they, too, can’t do much beyond a point. I’m a self-made person and asking for help is my last resort,” she explains.
“This field is uncertain. Due to the pandemic, things are tough but five years ago, when I was active, the industry gave regular work. I haven’t acted in the last four years which has led to this tough situation,” she concludes.
Misery is the base for most comedy; we find it funny when someone hits their head, or falls somewhere-Boman Irani
6:49 AM
Hosts of a new comedy reality show where stand ups have to crack up the rest but not break into a guffaw, Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi, discuss their seed of humour
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; April 25, 2021)
Getting actors Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi on a Zoom call means you are in for a 20-minute laugh fest. That Warsi hasn’t managed to get his morning coffee doesn’t seem to affect him. And Irani is his usual professional, warm self, who remembers the last time we spoke to him and asked if this writer was related to Acharya Atray. The two have come together once again because they are going to host a Bigg Boss equivalent with standup comics.
Amazon Prime’s LOL - Hasse Toh Phasse that releases on April 30 will see 10 of India’s well-known comics locked in a house. Their only mandate is to make everyone laugh, but never laugh themselves. Whoever cracks up, leaves the house.
The host pair is apt given that they are two of Bollywood’s most-recognisable funny voices. Irani has played the grouchy authoritarian with perfection although he is far from that in reality, and Warsi can play anything from a tapori to a confused lawyer with witty elan. They have shared screen space in the Munnabhai series and Jolly LLB, but their association goes back longer. “I remember choreographing this song for Alyque Padamsee’s 1995 show, Roshni, and Boman once came on stage and did something that only he could do. He was so funny! I got off stage and fought with the producers, who were arguing that Boman was stealing the show. But I wouldn’t have any of it,” Warsi remembers.
As we talk, both share the opinion that comedy can’t be taught. “You either have it or don’t”. But we probe. Is it genetic, or are you inspired by the uncle who came home every week and cracked jokes about the mohalla? Irani says, “My mother is really funny. She is 92, and still sometimes gives it off. But most of her wit emerges when she is telling stories from her past. She was a young widow—she would tell us about a customer she met at a shop and her narration would leave us in splits. Most of the stories stem from misery, which interestingly is the base for most comedy. We find it funny when someone hits their head, or falls somewhere. Even in a show like Friends, they are not trying to be funny, you find comedy in their everyday misery.”
Along the way, Irani admits to have found inspiration in comics like Johny Lever, and Mehmood. “I have observed Johny Lever — he made comedy out of miserable situations. For me, comedy is all about misdirection. You take a person down a certain road, and then the slap comes from a different side. It’s all about the surprise element.”
For Warsi, who was a fan of Charlie Chaplin, the one movie that made him see comedy in a new light, was Sai Paranjpye’s 1981 romantic comedy Chashme Buddoor, the story of skirt-chasing friends who have to accept that their nerdy buddy lands the girl. “The concept of comedy was turned on its head. Nobody was trying to be funny, but the situations were hilarious,” Warsi says, adding that he finds humour in tragedy. “I won’t advise anyone to behave like I did. But when my mother passed away many years ago, Maria [Goretti, his wife] came up to me and said, ‘I am sorry’. And I said, ‘Why are you sorry? It’s not your fault!’ So, it’s [humour] everywhere.”
For now, they are waiting for the show to offer respite at a time when the country is once again grappling with grim times. “It’s a whole new format of humour, and very exciting. And these comics have really made us laugh,” says Warsi.
Amitabh Bachchan ji, Dharmendra ji have paid tribute to dad, says Kanhaiyalal’s daughter Hemaa Singh
7:58 AM
Kanhaiyalal played a shrewd money-lender in Nargis’s Mother India
Kanhaiyalal’s daughter makes a documentary on the iconic baddie, best known for his Mother India role; hopes to highlight his contribution to Hindi cinema
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 7, 2021)
“The reason behind making the documentary is to highlight the [role] of veteran actors during that era, be it Motilal ji, Ishwarlal ji or my father. The [feature] will showcase all that is not known to the public — right from his childhood days in Varanasi, his migration to Mumbai, his struggles, personal life and work,” says Singh, who is hoping to release the yet-untitled project in the coming months.
In his three-decade career, Kanhaiyalal served as the perfect antithesis to the well-meaning heroes, sharing screen space with Dilip Kumar in Gunga Jumna (1961), Rajesh Khanna in Apna Desh (1972) and Dharmendra in Dost (1974). Singh is touched that many celebrities have supported her endeavour. “Amitabh Bachchan ji, Dharmendra ji, Asha Parekh ji, Jackie Shroff ji and Govinda ji have paid their shraddhanjali [tribute] to my father in the documentary. When I approached them, they enthusiastically agreed to do it. Johny Lever went out of his way and reached out to other [stars] on my behalf. Sunil Dutt ji and Dilip Kumar ji were close to my bauji; unfortunately, Dutt ji is no longer with us.”
While he paved the way for Bollywood villains, Singh says her father was a real-life hero. “He offered financial aid to so many people, never turning anyone away,” she recounts, lamenting that he didn’t get his due. “He never got the Dadasaheb Phalke award for his remarkable contribution. He was an effortless actor who never rehearsed his dialogues.”
The concept of love at first sight is passé-Farhad Samji
8:25 AM
Farhad Samji on how he’s reworked Coolie No. 1 to make Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan’s love story more contemporary
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 9, 2020)
On February 23, Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan wrapped up the shoot of David Dhawan’s Coolie No 1, an official adaptation of the 1995 Govinda-Karisma Kapoor starrer by the same name. Scriptwriter Farhad Samji admits that initially the team was sceptical about a second coming of the comic caper fearing comparisons. “But even Judwaa was a cult film, featuring Salman Khan in his first double role, and Varun pulled off Judwaa 2 with elan,” he points out, quick to add that while no one can recreate the chemistry of the original actors, the first time-pairing of Varun and Sara works for this film equally well.
“While the germ of the idea remains the same, we have reworked the script to make it more contemporary. Nothing looks out-dated now,” Farhad assures. Prod him on the changes and the writer informs that much of the romantic track has been overhauled. “The concept of love-at-first sight is passé and couples no longer wander hand-in-hand in the park. We had to make the two characters compatible to each another with a sprinkle of a good love story.”The Vashu and Jackky Bhagnani production has recreated two chartbusters from the earlier film, “Husn Hai Suhana” and “Main Toh Raste Se Jaa Raha Tha” and some of the gags, with lot of new ones too. “Like the Housefull and Golmaal franchises, the humour in Coolie No 1, too, is situational and comes from the strong ensemble cast of Paresh Rawal, Johny Lever and Jaaved Jaaferi, with Varun unabashedly playing to the gallery this time,” shares Farhad. Kader Khan who played the girl’s millionaire dad, Hoshiyaar Chand, in the 1995 film has since passed away. Paresh Rawal is the new entrant and Farhad is quick to say that while he’s playing the same role, the character has his own body language and mannerisms.
Farhad made his debut as a lyricist in David’s 2002 multi-starrer, Hum Kisise Kum Nahin after which he turned a writer and finally, a director with Akshay Kumar’s Entertainment.
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