It may not have been an easy year for all of us, but the entertainment world witnessed a baby boom during this phase. Amrita Rao proudly calls herself a 2020 mom, and cherishes every experience associated with her little son Veer, who was born in November last year.

In a candid chat, the actress talks about how life has changed and her plans of getting back to work; she also shares that her husband RJ Anmol tells her that after turning mommy she has gone from being cute to hot. Excerpts:

Firstly, I still cannot fathom the phenomena. I look at Veer every day and feel, 'Is he for real?' The first thing a baby teaches you is time management and discipline. Motherhood is like a mix of emotions. Each day there is wonderment, excitement, exhaustion, love, frustration, joy, entertainment and so many emotions in one jar.

I never thought I would be such a hands-on mom. I could have an entourage around him if I wanted, but I don’t even have a nanny. Thanks to our profession’s flexibility, Anmol and I are doing everything ourselves, right from bathing the baby, massaging to nappy changing, and playing with him. And, yes, in the mirror I still look like that girl who’s come back home from college (laughs!), just a bit fuller though. Anmol tells me from cute I’ve become hot after I’ve had the baby. I think every woman looks hotter after she has had a baby!

If someone told me I would be pregnant and at the same time, I would be learning to cook and do it for 21 days at a stretch, I’d have laughed it off. I never believed I could be good at cooking until last year. All 2020 mommies would have some unique story to tell their kids. Also, 2020 pregnancy was the healthiest because it meant zero junk food and pure maa ke haath ka khana. The phones were away and I was mentally more relaxed with no regret of losing out on any work during the Coronavirus lockdown. Having your husband around throughout your pregnancy was a fringe benefit for some of us and am sure it was thoroughly enjoyed. Shopping purely online for the baby was another super cool experience.

I already returned with Thackeray in 2019, and now, there will be no more breaks. Currently, I’m looking at a movie script along with one for the OTT space. Also, I’m super excited about associating with some brands that have approached both me and Anmol together.

I want to explore roles like what Tabu did in Maqbool, Cheeni Kum or Astitva. I have always had a taste for her choice of cinema, even though those kind of films were considered different then. Overall, cinema content has evolved and that gives us many more choices.

Interestingly, many actresses in the 50s, 60s and 70s were married, they became mothers and continued romancing on screen. Nutan ji and Sharmila Tagore ji are the biggest examples. Sadly, it changed somewhere in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, but thanks to many actresses of my generation who set the right precedent by marrying in the sunshine of their careers, now things are far better.

I have done some unforgettable films that I believe will hold relevance for a very long time. Perhaps many newcomers today haven’t even seen the back-to-back success that I have seen from right from the start of my career. My popularity and acceptance was genuine and was not planned through PR and marketing strategies, yet, there were many deserving opportunities denied that were beyond my control because I don’t have a Godfather here. However, I cannot deny the fact that I have never had to ask directors for work. I’ve always been approached by the biggest of banners and I had the privilege of refusing offers because I was not comfortable with doing certain intimate scenes. My journey has been easy, yet difficult, because I had to carve my own path by trial and error. But the taste of being self-made is the sweetest.

Salman Khan’s protege Pranutan reveals his soft side; shares memories of her grandmother, father and aunt
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 28, 2019)

Pranutan Bahl who is making her acting debut with Salman Khan’s next, the Nitin Kakkardirected Notebook, has fond memories of her mentor-producer from when she was little girl. Once, she lost her Tweety cap and was in tears when Salman spotted her and immediately sent his spotboy to buy a replica of it. “And I had my cap back within an hour,” Pranutan beams. Ask her if she got any tips from her mentor, now that she’s a big girl and on the threshold of a new career and pat comes the answer, “He’s told me never to think that I’m too big to ask for work.”

Meanwhile, her aunt Kajol has loved the trailer of her first feature and can’t wait to see the film. Pranutan’s all-time favourites featuring her actress-aunt are Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. “I remember attending the premiere of Kuch Kuch…, I was around six. She was a star, she’s still one. But while I admire her, I don’t want to emulate her or anyone else for that matter. I’m here for a reason,” states Mohnish and Ekta Bahl’s daughter, who points out that like the Samarth women, she is strong-headed.

Naturally, the conversation veers to her grandmother, Nutan. “I’ve been told she was always punctual, she was very disciplined. I’ve read that when she was doing the 1968 romantic drama, Saraswatichandra, the story was based on only one volume of the Gujarati novel, but she read three volumes to get under the skin of the character, Kumud,”

Pranutan who shares half her name with the legendary actress recounts. Nutan passed away prematurely, but her younger sister and Kajol’s mother, Tanuja is around to remind Pranutan to be focussed when standing on mark on set. “You must be confident and strong,” her Tanu ma added. And what of her papa, Mohnish, who’s frequently costarred with Salman, including in the 1999 film, Hum Saath Saath Hain, and whom she accompanied to his sets as a kid? “I troubled the camera department of his films because I loved skidding off the trolley,” she laughs. “Now, he’s happy and excited for my debut.”

Soumya Vajpayee (BOMBAY TIMES; March 23, 2019)

Being on the film set is the ultimate high for me; it’s like living a dream,” says debutante actress Pranutan Bahl, whose excitement is evident from her face and demeanour the moment she arrives for the interview at an Andheri studio. She is an industry kid — the granddaughter of late actress Nutan and daughter of Mohnish Bahl — but the 26-year-old law graduate wants to carve a niche for herself in the industry on her own merit. In a tête-à-tête with BT, Pranutan talks about her upcoming film, Notebook, her learnings from her grandmother and father, the bond she shares with Salman Khan, and more. Excerpts…

Your debut film, Notebook, is all set to hit the theatres in a few days. Are you excited, nervous… what is your current state of mind?
Honestly, I’m feeling a lot of gratitude. Every day, I tell myself, ‘Thank God it happened. I really wanted it’. I have waited for this all my life, and I have spent the last two-and-a-half years preparing to enter films and giving auditions.

You gave auditions? The general perception is that industry kids have it easy...
A lot of people are surprised that I went for auditions. I tell them that if you want to become an actor, then that’s how it works. There’s a particular procedure and you cannot negate that. If you want to become a lawyer, you cannot say, ‘I won’t give CLAT because my dad is a barrister’.

Thousands of artistes from across the country come to Mumbai to become actors, how can anyone be an exception? In fact, while going for auditions, I never wrote my last name, because I didn’t want to be shortlisted because of my family background. I want to make it on my own, so that I can feel that I’ve earned what I deserve.

Nepotism is a much-talked-about topic these days. Many would find it hard to believe that your father never played a role in getting you into films…
I don’t know industry kids, because that’s not the group I hang out with. So, I don’t know how they made their way into films. But, I’ve never asked my dad or anyone from my family to make a single call to any of their connections from the film industry to fix up a meeting or an audition. I’ve probably been to every single casting office that exists in the city.

You always wanted to become an actor, but you went ahead and studied law...
I wanted to complete my education before pursuing my passion. I felt that law was a great course to do, and it has made me a different person. For example, if I have to buy a house, I know the technicalities of a sales deed or stamp duty kaise bharni hai. I am a hands-on person. When I studied, I did that with utmost devotion, and I wish to do the same with films as well.

When did you tell your father that you want to become an actor?
It was eight months before I graduated. When I had joined the law college, he told me, ‘It’s good that you’re studying law. If you want to become an actor, you can do that, but finish your education first’.

You are not formally trained in acting, but seeing your father during your growing-up years and listening to stories about your legendary grandmother must have been an acting lesson in itself, right?
While I was influenced by my dad’s talent, our conversations at home were never film-centric. He always taught me to be honest and sincere about my work. He would say, ‘You will hone your skills with time. The camera is your playground, so you’ll be more comfortable in your fourth film compared to the first one. Honesty is your greatest treasure’.

As a kid, did you ever visit his films’ sets?
Yes, a lot. I have visited him on the sets of Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999), Astitva (2000), Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye (2000) and Raja Hindustani (1996), among others. I would get upset when he was beaten up, because he was the bad guy in most films. I would cry and tell my mom, ‘Call up papa now. He is getting beaten up’. She would then tell me, ‘He is fine; he is just acting (laughs!)’. I feel at home when I am on a film set. However, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t have to work hard on my craft.

Salman Khan and your father have been close friends for years, and now, your first film happens to be a Salman Khan production. What kind of a bond do you share with him?
I was around seven years old when I had lost my ‘Tweety’ cap at a studio and started crying. He came up to me and asked me what had happened. I told him that I had lost my favourite cap, and, in one hour, the same cap was given to me. He had asked his spot boy to buy a new one for me. From then till now, he has always been my favourite (laughs!).

How encouraging was he when you bagged Notebook, directed by Nitin Kakkar?
He was happy and proud. He told me, ‘Since acting is your passion, work hard and give it your all’.

You recently said that your grandmother’s film, Bandini (1963), is your all-time favourite. Did her talent leave an impression on you?
Any great work inspires you. I’m bowled over by the skill of Bimal da (Bandini director Bimal Roy), my daadi and dadamuni (late actor Ashok Kumar). My grandmother played a murderer in Bandini, but the viewer still feels empathetic towards her. She played her role with such purity.

What is that one quality of hers that you would want to imbibe as an actor?
I would want to imbibe every quality of my grandmother as an actor, but if I have to choose one, it would be her goodness. Every role she played reflected the goodness and purity in her.

Mohnish Bahl remembers the late producer Rajkumar Barjatya, father of Sooraj Barjatya, who passed away on Thursday
Mohnish Bahl (MID-DAY; February 22, 2019)

I owe my career completely to the Barjatyas. Raj Kumar Barjatya ji was like an older statesman and benefactor. Whatever I am today, it is because of him, and his production house [Rajshri Productions].

The most amazing part about Raj Kumar ji was that he was always calm and composed; one who could handle all kinds of situations with a lot of care. On set, there would often be ups and downs, but I never saw him lose his cool. In fact, he would always have a fair opinion [about any situation].

He was a fair human being, and, on a personal note, they [Barjatyas] have been intrinsic in giving me the career that I have. His values were simple. I remember my audition for Maine Pyar Kiya. They had liked my work, but were worried about casting me in a negative role, because of my mother [Nutan]. They wondered how they could launch the son of an actress who had, throughout her career, done beautiful roles. They told me about their reservations, but, I told them it wouldn't matter. Things eventually worked out in my favour.

Later, while shooting for Hum Aapke Hai Koun, Raj Kumar ji revealed to me that he had spoken to my mother, and had promised her that he would give me a positive role; one that was worthy, [like that of a] lead character, and he fulfilled it with Hum Aapke Hai Koun. That is how just the man was. He will truly be missed.

As told to Sonil Dedhia




Bhagyashree; Bahl; Sachin Pilgaonkar


Swara Bhasker; Soni Razdan and Bhatt

BOMBAY TIMES (September 17, 2018)

Last month, Salman Khan announced that he would be launching newcomer Zaheer Iqbal in a film directed by Nitin Kakkar. The leading lady of the project hadn’t been finalised then, but now the wait is over. Salman has chosen Pranutan Bahl to star opposite Zaheer. Pranutan is the granddaughter of legendary actress Nutan and daughter of actor Mohnish Bahl.

According to people connected with the film, the decision to cast Pranutan happened by chance. Director Nitin Kakkar had auditioned over 100 new faces for the role, but wasn’t particularly happy with anyone. Then one day, he chanced upon pictures of Pranutan on the internet. When he and the producers of the film (Murad Khetani and Ashwin Varde) shared Pranutan’s photographs with Salman (who is also producing the film), even he was impressed. Post that, a meeting happened where they discovered that she was interested in movies. She auditioned for the role and Nitin found the girl he was looking for.

For Salman, this is also an emotional moment. He and Mohnish have been friends even before they worked together in Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). In fact, Salman lovingly addresses Mohnish as ‘Monya’ even today. Life has come a full circle as the superstar is now launching his close friend’s daughter on the big screen.

Interestingly, Pranutan is a qualified lawyer and has interned at some of the most prestigious law firms in Mumbai. She shares, “When I got to know about this film and read the script, I knew this would be a dream debut for me. Films were always my calling.”

Salman is also very happy that he is getting a chance to launch her. “Pranutan has a great legacy. I can assure you that she will make everyone proud,” he says. The film goes on floors later this month and will be shot entirely in Kashmir.

Salman Khan Films presents a Cine1 Studios Production. The film is produced by Salman Khan Films, Murad Khetani and Ashwin Varde.
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Nutan's grand-daughter Pranutan Bahl opens up for the first time about her debut film
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; September 17, 2018)

Bollywood has been abuzz with rumours that Pranutan Bahl, granddaughter of the legendary star Nutan and daughter of Mohnish Bahl, is set to follow in her illustrious family's footsteps. It is not surprising that Salman Khan, a close friend of Mohnish, has taken the youngster under his wing.

In an exclusive chat with mid-day, Pranutan says, "I turned emotional when I heard Salman sir is launching me. I hugged my parents and my sister; I will always cherish that moment." The aspiring actor will feature opposite newcomer Zaheer Iqbal in a romance drama that will be produced by Salman Khan Films (SKF), Murad Khetani and Ashwin Varde.

Given her impressive lineage - Pranutan is also the niece of Bollywood's leading actor Kajol - she is aware of the sky-high expectations that surrounds her foray into movies. Undeterred by the inevitable comparisons that will follow, she says, "My parents have taught me to be honest to my work. I know that there will be certain expectations. I promise to work hard to garner the same love and admiration that the audiences showered on my grandmother and father."

With less than a month to go before the Nitin Kakkar-directed film goes on floors in Kashmir, Pranutan, 22, shows no signs of nervousness that, more often than not, accompany a rank newcomer's first brush with acting. "I always knew movies were my calling. I did believe that completing my education up to a certain point was important. But I knew that I would end up in films," she smiles.

The storyteller in J P Dutta is frustrated that people are not interested in knowing what goes on at the border; as he revisits his favourite subject with Paltan, the filmmaker talks about the stories that touch him, the tussle with Abhishek Bachchan, and why he was off the radar for long
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; September 2, 2018)

Over a decade after his last Bollywood outing, the Abhishek Bachchan- Aishwarya Rai starter Umrao Jaan (2006), J P Dutta is back on the scene with Paltan. The veteran filmmaker is synonymous with war sagas, which include LOC Kargil (2003), Refugee (2000) and Border (1997). At his office at Four Bungalows, Andheri, there are tomes about the world’s biggest battles fought over the ages.

He studied history, so he considers himself a historian, who considers cinema as a medium to tell the real story. “It’s frustrating that most of us are not proud of our country. That national pride is lacking. We should be aware that we have been plundered for generations. We were never the aggressor. We have become a passive nation.”

Dutta's obsession with war-based films is because “these stories touch me the most. People need to know about what goes on at the country’s borders and the valour and sacrifices of the army folk.”

Paltan is based on the Indo-China skirmish in 1967, in which India emerged triumphant. The clashes at Nathu La and Chog La along the Sikkim border was for the control of Sikkim. He says, “This was a proper war as the two countries knew what they were fighting for, unlike the 1962 war, which was an act of terror. Those were the days of Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai, but they took us unawares. The Chinese army burnt bonfires to distract us and slipped into our land to wreak havoc.”

Dutta has been in constant touch with the army and concerned authorities for the research and permissions required. He says, “It took me two and a half years to get the nod. I wanted it to he factually correct.” About his long absence from the scene, he says, “I had begun work on a film, which I shot in Switzerland, Italy and Rajasthan. It was in 2008 when there was an economic crises worldwide. The film studio cut my budget to 45 per cent. They pulled the carpet from below my feet. I am a passionate filmmaker and did not want to compromise. I told them our creator is also our destroyer. I had conceived the project and was also ending it.” There was also a personal loss, when his dad (O P Dutta) passed away. “He used to write the dialogues for my films.”

Dutta is also known to shoot most of his films in Rajasthan, which include Ghulami, Batwara and Border. “I am known as Jaipur Dutta. I like to shoot in stark landscapes. Someone referred to me as the filmmaker who shoots in naked landscapes like in deserts and mountains. It is in the nothingness that you feel close to God.” Paltan, which stars Arjun Rampal, Sonu Sood, Luv Sinha, among others has Dutta’s daughter Nidhi looking after the production. “Luckily, there were no hiccups even though we shot at high altitudes.”

About present day Bollywood, the veteran filmmaker says, “I belong to the generation when actors were men, there was Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna and the heroines were women like Meena Kumari and Nutan. Today’s actors, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, are boys. The heroines are girls. But then, things change.”

Dutta is already planning his next. “It could be a war film, something that touches me and everyone should know about,” he concludes.

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; October 6, 2015)

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 1, 2015)

Bimal Roy's son Joy, who was around five years old when Sujata was being filmed, remembers waking up early one morning and going in search of his baba. He was in his room recording something on the huge tape recorder. He spotted Joy standing by the door and put a finger to his lips, signalling for silence.

"I tiptoed into the room and quietly sat on a chair. It was a few minutes before I realised that baba was taping the koyals chirping in the garden outside. That became the signature tune for Sujata in the film. Whenever Nutan came on screen, you heard the sound of koyals while her aunt, Giribala, enacted brilliantly by Lalita Pawar, is accompanied by the cawing of crows," smiles Joy.

Sujata, based on a Bengali short story by Subodh Ghosh by the same name, revolved around the blossoming romance between Adhir, a progressive Brahmin youth, and Sujata, an untouchable girl. In an ironical twist, Adhir—a sensitive portrayal by Sunil Dutt— is the grandson of the meddlesome buaji. She along with her pandit, have been poisoning Sujata's adoptive parents minds against the little girl. The parents were forced to take her in, after an outbreak of cholera in the village killed her real parents. The foster father turns out to be a drunk looking to make some easy money.

Eventually, Sujata grows up with the couple's own daughter, Rama—a vivacious Shashikala. Buaji and Sujata's mother want a match between Adhir and Rama but he's drawn to the quieter Sujata who, since having learnt the truth of her birth, is ravaged from within and only at peace with nature.

Joy points to a beautiful montage in the film which mirrors Sujata's sense of wonder on realising that she's lost her heart to Adhir. There's a shot which has a leaf twirling on the tree and Nutan replicating the rhythm of the twirl beneath. "I was told by Gulzar saab that baba shot 10,000 feet of film to get that one shot. Kamal kaku (cinematographer Kamal Bose) was so fed up waiting for a gust of breeze to twirl the leaf the way baba had envisioned that he suggested that they use a fan to which baba told him exasperatedly, 'Really Kamal, haven't you learnt anything,'" Joy laughs at the memory.

You keep waiting for a song to start playing but Bimal Roy cleverly detested from giving in to the temptation of one. However, the film had some evergreen compositions by SD Burman, including Talat Mahmood's evocative Jalte hain jiske liye, which Sunil Dutt sings to Nutan over the phone. The use of technology to take a love story forward was an innovative ploy.

Joy recalls that the Roy kids were never welcome on the sets but Sujata had a song shot in their garden. And there was great excitement in the household with Nutan as Sujata, walking in and out of their bungalow and even sitting down to have lunch.

He also has a time-speckled memory of being taken to the recording of the lullaby Nanhi kali sone chali. "It was late evening and I remember ma (Manobina Roy) cradling me in her arms as Geeta Dutt's voice lulled me to sleep," he smiles.

Years later, when he saw the film, Joy discovered the subtle nuances of emotions between the lines, understood the humanist message against untouchability, a social evil which Mahatma Gandhi and later Babasaheb Ambedkar were fighting to eradicate from our society, appreciated the mesmerising beauty of the blackened frames and the under-played performances. But as a child, he reminisces that there was not a single dry eye in the auditorium after the hard-hitting climax when the adoptive mother, who has always introduced Sujata to the world as her "beti jaisa," acknowledges that she was about to address her as "beti" after learning that it was her low caste blood that saved her life after a tumble down the stairs.

He remembers screenplay writer Nabendu Ghosh once talking about a chauffeur who would ferry him around constantly asking for passes to see the film.

"One day Nabendu kaku asked him how many times he'd seen Sujata and he admitted to having watched it umpteen number of times because 'dil ko thandak pauchti hai'. That aptly sums up the film," points out Joy. "Sujata touched the hearts."

The film bagged four Filmfare Awards (Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Story), the National Award (All India Certificate of Merit for Third Best Feature Film, 1960) and a nomination at the Cannes Film Festival. "But it was perhaps a sentiment as expressed by the chauffeur that was baba's biggest reward," Joy signs off. 

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 18, 2015)

On January 1, 1963, Navketan's last black-and-white film, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, written and directed by Vijay Anand, fondly called Goldie, and produced by his brother, Dev Anand, was unveiled to the world. Two years later, Guide exploded on screen in a profusion of colour.

Half a century later, the versatile S D Burman's evergreen gems still make us sigh, smile and stare wonder-struck at Goldie's whizcraft, which comes into play in the title track in an era when special effects were creatively imagined in the mind and not imaged on the computer.

There's a sense of the whimsy as a midget-sized apparition of Nutan turns up in a pining Dev's whiskey glass, ducks as an ice cube plops in, shivering at the sudden chill, begging him, with folded hands, not to take a sip, even as Mohd. Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar's voices weave their magic. Fanciful, but not at all hard to swallow!

Equally unforgettable is Rafi's Dil ka bhanwar kare pukar, which was perhaps the last song to be shot inside Delhi's Qutub Minar. Soon after, following a stampede, the inside of the tower was closed to visitors. According to Mohan Churiwala, a close associate of Dev, the outdoor shots were all taken at the iconic monument but a significant portion of the interiors was filmed on a set at Mehboob Studio. "Qutub was too cramped for an extensive shoot inside so the two portions were mixed and matched. No one was the wiser," he says, pointing out that as the couple make their way to the top and then descend down the spiral staircase, their romance blossoms. "By the time the song ends, they are in love."

Dev and Nutan had delivered a hat-trick of hits before this, including Paying Guest, Baarish and Manzil. By the time Tere Ghar Ke Samne came along, Dev was touching 40 and Nutan was returning after a maternity break. But their freshness and flirtatiousness equaled that of a younger jodi. Nutan lit up the screen as she threw open the door to her lovelorn mate, who had been searching for her through the cold, misty bylanes of Shimla, soulfully crooning the number, Tu kahan ye bata.

However, the biggest foes to their love story are their constantly bickering fathers, Lala Jagannnth played by comedian Om Prakash with effective poignancy, and Seth Karamchand, brilliantly enacted by Harindranath Chattopadhyay. Ever since the two buy adjacent plots in a fiercely fought auction, they are sworn enemies. Goldie's dialogue, peppered with abuses like 'khoosat', 'aloo bukhara', 'ainakwala akhrot', underlines their rivalry.

The twist in the tale comes when the Sethiji, who's Nutan's father, hires the Lala's son, Dev, to build him a house. Both end up coveting the same design. "It was a senseless jhagda over a clash of egos, turning around the cardinal virtue, 'Love thy neighbour'. It eventually culminated in the realisation that it's futile to fight with the man living next door," says Churiwala, adding that the film also touched on the clash between the modern and the traditional, East and West, parents and children, making it a socially relevant film in keeping with the motto of the family banner.

A cabaret track by Asha Bhosle, Dil ki manzil, was a bold touch in the coquettish '60s, but Goldie cleverly balanced it out with the charmingly Dekho rutha na karo and Sun le tu dil ki sada, which had a happy and sad version, taking Rafi's tally up to five, including three solos. Dada Burman veered away from his usual lyricists, Shailendra and Majrooh Sultanpuri, to create a winning team with Hasrat Jaipuri, who was writing for Navketan Films for the first time.

Reportedly, Hasrat had also been signed for Guide, even paid an advance, but following creative differences with Goldie, he later made way for Shailendra.

Interestingly, Tere Ghar Ke Samne was also the first and last film of Zarine Katrak. She is Dev's pretty, anglicised secretary, Jenny, who catches the eye of Ronny, Nutan's brother, played with plenty of cheer by Rajendra Nath. Zarine married actor-filmmaker Sanjay Khan in '66 and quit acting. Nutan and Dev also never paired up again... Yeh tanhai hai re hai...

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 28, 2014)

Sanjay Dutt's career got off to a Rocky start in '81. Following a battle with drugs and a series of flops, it had hit a dead end five years later. In these testing times, his buddy who became his brother-in-law, Kumar Gaurav, not only stood by him but was determined to make a film that would bring him back into the race. This film was Naam.

The idea of two half-brothers came from Mahesh Bhatt, who during his growing up years was haunted by the ghost of his own illegitimacy. He sketched out the story of Ravi and Vicky to the two young actors and instantly, impulsively, Kumar Gaurav decided to turn it into a film under his banner.

His father, Rajendra Kumar, wasn't convinced, having spotted the dangers inherent in the script. "Even though it was a two-hero project, Rajendra Kumar knew that the audience's sympathies would eventually swing from Kumar Gaurav's character Ravi to Sanju's bad boy Vicky," reasons Bhatt who went on to direct the film.

Naturally, no father would want his son to get over-shadowed in a film he was producing but Kumar Gauarv stood his ground and insisted he wanted to make this film and none other.

Eventually his dad gave in.

Bhatt then took his idea to Salim Khan. After the split of the Salim-Javed jodi, Javed Akhtar was the one getting the plum offers and it was being said that Salim had been just the business component in the partnership that had given Bollywood blockbusters like Sholay, Zanjeer, Trishul and Seeta Aur Geeta. Naam brought Salim Khan back into the spotlight as a scriptwriter and he gave it all he had. "He added box-office sparkle to my offbeat story of two half brothers and turned it into a blockbuster. Naam was my first golden jubilee," reminisces Bhatt.

Sanjay Dutt, he remembers, was like a bhakt who surrendered himself completely to the film with single-minded dedication and boundless energy. "I never saw that kind of focus in Sanju again. With his stunning performance, he broke people's heart. We became a lifelong friend and years later, on the eve of his departure to the Yerwada Jail, I remember sitting with him and feeling as helpless as Kumar Gaurav's character in Naam because there was so little that I could do for him," he sighs.

There's a word of praise for Amrita Singh too who played Sanjay's wife and the mother of his unborn child for whom he finally decides to give up his life of crime and return home. It was like waking up to a new day after a long dark night and was beautifully expressed in the song, Chhiti aaye hai.

"Laxmikant-Pyarelal scored some beautiful songs for the film, but this is the one people still want to talk about whenever I travel to the Middle-East," says Bhatt, recalling how when Rajendra Kumar first heard Anand Bakshi's lyrics he innocently asked about the mukhdas and the anatras, convinced that a song that strayed from the traditional format would not work. Bhatt was far more accepting and Bakshi told their producer, "That's why you have put a younger director in charge. He understands my language, you don't," Once again, Rajendra Kumar gracefully gave in.

Pankaj Udhas, a popular ghazal singer in the '80s, not only recorded it but it was also picturised on him. "Pankaj would shoot for us during the day and sing at concerts at night. He struck a chord with the Indian and Pakistani diaspora," points out Bhatt, adding that Salim saab had stressed on the bonds of brotherhood between the two countries through the friendship of Sanjay and Aakash Khurana, his Pakistani neighbour who stands by him when he is imprisoned in Dubai.

As he signs off Bhatt adds Naam's misguided search for identity would not have had the emotional impact it did without its mother figure. He says, "Nutan wasn't keeping well at the time but she instantly agree to do the role and would come on the sets an hour-and-a-half early to get into the skin of the character. As always she was outstanding!"

From Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari to Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor, veteran makeup artist, Pandhari Juker, has worked his magic on many celeb faces in the last six decades. The octogenarian speaks about his eventful journey
Shameem Khan (MID-DAY; July 10, 2014)


Pandhari Juker or Dada, as he is fondly called, has a stream of students lined up at his Shivaji Park residence. They are there to decode the magic he creates every time he picks up his make-up brush. “I may be 83-years-old, but my hand doesn’t shake when I do make- up,” he says.

In a career spanning six decades, Pandhari Juker has witnessed several trends. “Earlier, there were only a few products, so we didn’t have many options. There was no eyebrow pencil then, so we would use the kajal pencil to shape a star’s eyebrows. We could only use maroon lipstick as all other shades looked neutral on the screen.”

This apart, he is also credited with deftly crafting wigs, fake moustaches, beards, and creating fake wrinkles (remember Sudhir Dalvi’s look in Shirdi Ke Sai Baba?). He recounts, “It so happened that one day Dev Anand and Chetan Anand wanted me to create a 'Buddha look’ for them. Within a day, I made a wig using a special net. They were so happy with the result that they immediately paid me Rs 6,500 for it. Back home, it was tough convincing my mother that I had not indulged in a malpractise to earn that exorbitant amount. After all, I was on a salary of just Rs 85 per month.”

His personal rapport with film stars also stood him in good stead. Besides V Shantaram, he is also known for working extensively with filmmakers like Yash Chopra and Subhash Ghai. He also shared a good rapport with the late Meena Kumari. “She was a warm, kind-hearted person. I often joined her for dinner on the sets. She would also invite me for Iftar during Ramzaan. She was extremely sad about not having a child, though,” he remembers.



Similarly, Dada is all praises for Nutan. He says, “She needed minimal make-up and had a soft, flawless complexion which was perfect for the screen. Madhubala was beautiful but with make-up on. Manisha Koirala is another natural beauty who needed little make-up in her heydays. I fell in love with her complexion when I had to do her make up for Saudagar. Among today’s lot of actresses, I find Katrina Kaif really beautiful.” It would be interesting to note that Dilip Kumar once introduced him to the Nawab of Hyderabad as “hamare karta- dharta. I was touched by his gesture. We are what we are mainly because of these people,” he says.

Having worked with Amitabh Bachchan on many occasions, Juker emphasises that Big B has achieved so much only due to his dedication to his craft. “For his first film, Saat Hindustani, I had made him a beard which didn’t stick easily. Gluing each strand of hair to his chin was a tedious process. Since I had to go away for three-to-four days, he took pains to sleep and bathe in a fashion that did not disturb the beard.”

However, he also has some bitter memories. “I was very fond of Madhuri Dixit and knew how to highlight her features. But on one occasion, I reached a day late for her outdoor shoot as I had missed my flight. Upon reaching the location, her secretary Rikku Nath told me that I was not needed anymore because they had now hired another make-up man in my place. I was very upset about this. Despite being a veteran in the industry, I had been turned down for such a trivial reason,” he says.

What does he have to say about the current crop of make- up artistes? “Most of them were my students.
Mickey Contractor was a dedicated student who trained under me for six to seven years. Bharat Godambe was going through a tough period— he used to sell greeting cards to make a living before he came to me. But now he’s made a name for himself. Vidyadhar Bhatte and Deepak Sawant (Amitabh Bachchan’s present make-up man) have also trained under me. Their success makes me proud.”

He is all praise for the Indian make- up industry “What is the need to look for talent abroad when we have so much of expertise within the country itself? Foreign artistes were called from abroad to give Sanjay Dutt a bald look in Agneepath. Amitabh Bachachan’s look in Paa could have been re-created in India instead of calling prosthetic artistes from Los Angeles.”



Despite his experience in the film industry, he is now content doing Marathi film and a few ad films. Ask him why and he replies, “There is no fun in working for Hindi films now. Earlier we took on the whole movie as a project, but now every artiste has his/ her own make-up person. In comparison, Marathi films are more disciplined.”

With his rich experience, several awards and a successful make-up school to his name, is there anything else he aspires to do? “As per people’s wishes, I want to be conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. Besides that, my other wish is to work till my last breath.”

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; February 24, 2014)

Last Saturday, a two-day-old infant was found dead in the swimming pool of actor Mohnish Bahl’s Mumbra bungalow. This incident has understandably left the actor shaken and he is no longer sure if he wants to hold on to this property.

Bahl admits that the house holds a special significance as he spent a fair share of his childhood days there. He says, “My parents had bought the property in 1965 and many of my childhood days were spent there. But after my mother (actress Nutan) passed away in 1991, my father cut down on his visits to this bungalow.”

After his father (Rajneesh Bahl) passed away in 2004, the actor and his wife stopped going there as well. “Ekta and I have not been there for nearly a decade now. A watchman, who is also the caretaker, has been looking after the place,” says Behl.

The actor also points out though an emotional attachment with the place kept him from selling it all this while, he’s not so sure now. “After what I saw on Saturday, I really don’t know what I will do. This incident will never go away from my mind. I hope people change their attitude towards girl children,” he says.

It may be pointed out that in November last year, the actor had surrendered around 25 acres of land to the Thane Municipal Corporation (except for the bungalow). He adds, “The area where the bungalow stands has incidentally been earmarked for a park and a cultural centre, but I had requested the TMC to exempt the bungalow.”