Tales Of Two Cinema Legends: Filmmaker Mehul Kumar Remembers Raaj Kumar And Nana Patekar

He’s been directing films now for close to four decades in Gujarati and Hindi, the high points being two huge hits with Raaj Kumar—Marte Dam Tak and Jungbaaz. Mehul Kumar’s biggest hit is with both Raaj and Nana Patekar—Tirangaa. It’s a quirk of fate that his two favourite heroes have an ironic connection: Raaj Kumar’s centenary fell on October 8 this year, the date when Nana stepped into immortality. Mehul Kumar remembers the two icons of cinema.

Excerpts from the interview:

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How did you first work with Raaj Kumar?

Producer Pranlal Mehta wanted me to direct a Hindi film. I had a good subject with Raaj Kumar in mind. Raaj saab had rejected two films from Pranlalji and he told me he was on if Raaj saab liked it.

When I called Raaj saab up, he asked, “Kaun Mehul Kumar?” I told him about my work and that I had written a story with him in mind. He called me to Mumbai’s US Club the following evening. I informed Pranlal-ji and he just said, “Don’t mention my name.”

I knew that Raaj saab liked his scripts in Urdu, so overnight I had an assistant translate it. He appreciated that and said we would meet the following Sunday when he would give his final answer. The following week he told me that he liked the script, and asked who the producer was. When I told him, he said, “I have rejected two films he had offered!”

Do you recall your first day of shoot?

Of course! It was at Nayyar Bungalow in Madh Island and we shot a closeup of his feet and Shakti Kapoor landing on them as Farha, the heroine, had thrown him there in a fight. He asked me why I was taking the shot that way and I replied that it would be easy while editing the film. At lunchtime, I was summoned to his room and, hugging me, he said he liked my attitude and style. He said that if someone convinced him on the first day of a shoot, he would become completely relaxed.

Any more unforgettable anecdotes?

He was playing a don. Now dons usually dress in all-white here on in black suits abroad in films, but I convinced him to wear a black suit with a white out-shirt. And that has become a style statement now!

Then there was the sequence of his fake funeral to fool his enemies. When I went to meet him, a huge garland was to be draped on his ‘dead’ body. He motioned me to put the garland on him, saying, “Pehna do, jab main jaaonga tab mouqa nahin milega (Put it one me, when I really die you may not get the chance)!”

When he really passed away, I was shooting for Mrityudaata and I got a message from his family. The last rites had already been performed. Raaj-saab was a private person who did not believe in the fakeness of so many people coming for funerals!

What about his rapport with Govinda, who was there in both the films?

(Laughs) Govinda was very scared of him. But one day, when Raaj saab loved his printed shirt, he enthusiastically gifted it to him. The next day, Raaj saab has stitched a handkerchief out of it and we all had a hearty laugh!

How did Nana Patekar, who you also directed thrice (Krantiveer, Kohraam), come into Tirangaa with Raaj Kumar?

Frankly, I had Rajinikanth in mind and had also named his character as Shivajirao, Rajini’s real name. Candidly, the actor told me that he liked the subject but was nervous about his co-star. I then went to Naseeruddin Shah, who expressed similar sentiments, Then Studio Link, a publicity setup, suggested Nana’s name, but he turned it down too, stating that he did not do commercial films!

I then told Nana that only such films would give him real fame, for arty films worked only in Mumbai. He liked the subject and the fact that he was to play a Maharashtrian but bluntly told me that if Raaj Kumar interfered, he would walk out of the film. In turn, Raaj Kumar stated that he had heard of Nana’s badtameez reputation! Distributors wished me luck as they felt I was trying to bring East and West together. But by the time the shoot ended, the two became thick friends and the entire shoot went like a picnic.

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Your final words on Raaj and Nana?

I was close to Raaj saab’s family as well. The industry was surprised when Raaj saab came to attend my daughter Shameem’s wedding, which he rarely did for any filmmaker. My wife would tie a rakhi on him.

Nana’s family was also close to me. And I will always regret the fact that I have written a script named Mission Tirangaa with him in mind. But I do not see it becoming a reality with any other actor.

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