‘It was wonderful how he managed the group, not with drive and even star energy, however with sheer love.’

They labored in only one movie collectively, however Life In A… Metro stays unforgettable even after virtually 20 years for the romance a 70-plus Dharmendra delivered to the display as he returned from a three-year hiatus.

Remembering the late actor, the movie’s writer-director Anurag Basu confesses to Rediff Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya that he’s a horrible narrator and that day, he was notably dangerous as a result of he was so nervous.

“Once I completed, Dharamji learn out a sher he had written the day earlier than, telling me I used to be the primary to listen to it. He recited simply three wonderful couplets, and whereas I did not use them within the movie, they satisfied me that he had received the heart beat of the story bang on and understood the character,” he says.

 

‘I went for the primary assembly praying he would say sure’

Whereas I used to be writing Life In A… Metro, I wrote Dharamji‘s title within the forged, subsequent to Amol (his character within the movie).

I went for the primary assembly praying he would say sure as a result of I had no different actor in thoughts.

I might solely visualise him as this man who had as soon as beloved Shivani, however left her to pursue his goals within the US, and now, 40 years later, he is again, desirous to spends his final days along with her.

I’m a horrible narrator and that day, I used to be notably dangerous as a result of I used to be so nervous.

I used to be mixing up the names of characters until, lastly, I made a decision to only follow Amol and Shivani’s observe and never confuse him extra.

Once I completed, Dharamji learn out a sher he had written the day earlier than, telling me I used to be the primary to listen to it.

He recited simply three wonderful couplets, and whereas I did not use them within the movie, they satisfied me that he had received the heart beat of the story bang on and understood the character.

He did not ask any extra questions and there was no ‘I will get again to you tomorrow’.

He instructed me instantly that he was doing my movie. It was that straightforward!

And the alternate of poetic verses between us continued all by means of the shoot.

‘I believed they might say no to the kiss’

It was my spouse Tani’s thought to forged Nafisa Ali reverse Dharamji.

Being a giant fan of her first movie Junoon, I believed it might be nice to deliver the 2 heart-throbs collectively.

Coincidentally, they had been each MPs on the time.

There’s a kiss between them after they spend the night time collectively, and admittedly, I believed they might say no to it. However to my nice shock, they did not make a fuss.

Looking back, I believe the story labored due to the casting.

Taking pictures with Dharamji was robust as a result of he was a giant star and such a craze.

The reunion between Shivani and Amol occurs on the identical station the place he had left her.

‘After that it was mayhem’

When the railway gave me permission to shoot at Sion station (north central Mumbai), I questioned how I used to be going to tug it off because it’s one among Mumbai’s busiest stations.

We hid Dharamji within the self-importance van until it was time for the shot.

Then utilizing umbrellas to protect his id from the general public eye, we introduced him to the platform.

Whereas he was standing there, gazing at Shivani sitting on the other platform, a passerby recognised him and known as out his title.

Dharamji reacted by waving his hand in acknowledgement.

After that, it was mayhem as crowds of followers streamed in.

I used to be questioning how I used to be going to shoot because the scene required him to leap down, cross the tracks, and pull himself up beside his blushing woman love, telling her she hadn’t modified in all of the years they’d been aside.

Earlier than I might determine one thing out, Dharamji quietly folded his palms and instructed them to allow us to get on with the shoot.

And everybody instantly calmed down.

It was wonderful how he managed the group, not with drive and even star energy, however with sheer love.

Most people you see on display are actual individuals who had turned as much as see Dharamji up shut.

And you’ll not discover any of them trying into the digicam!

‘I used to be stunned at how humble and down-to-earth he was’

I had beloved Dharamji in movies like Devar, Anupama, Satyakam and Chupke Chupke, all of which I had watched on Doordarshan.

He had such a presence, even in a track like Khamoshi‘s Tum Pukar Lo, Tumhara Intezar Hai the place you see solely his again.

It was an honour working and whereas initially he had stated that he wouldn’t shoot after 6 pm, he began having fun with himself and would keep on until 8, even 9 pm.

I used to be stunned at how humble and down-to-earth he was.

It could not have been straightforward to remain that manner once you attain his stature, but it surely got here to him naturally.

That is one lesson I’ve learnt from him and attempt to observe to this present day.

‘Talash kabhi khatam nahin hota, waqt khatam ho jaata hai‘

I had considered taking Dharamji in Metro… In Dino, to play Parimal Sarkar, who reunites together with his school sweetheart, Shibani.

He convinces her to remain in his residence and fake to be his spouse so his widowed daughter-in-law will transfer out and marry the person who loves her.

Their play-acting succeeds in additionally shaking up Shibani’s husband, who had began taking her with no consideration.

However it did not occur and Anupam Kher went on to play the function.

I hadn’t met Dharamji shortly.

I had dropped by his place a few years in the past, however he wasn’t properly so I left after assembly Sunny (Deol).

Right this moment, he’s gone and I bear in mind him by a line Amol tells Konkana’s (Sen Sharma) Shruti within the movie that has her dashing to Irrfan’s Monty and eventually confessing that she loves him, ‘Talash kabhi khatam nahin hota, waqt khatam ho jaata hai (The hunt by no means ends, it is time that runs out).’

Images curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff