In a special flashback podcast with Lehren, Dhak Dhak girl Madhuri Dixit talks about her thrilling experience of working in the 1996 film - Rajkumar. The lead actress praises director Pankaj Parashar's inventiveness and vision, calling the venture a costume film. Additionally, Madhuri reveals an untold story of her & Naseeruddin Shah from the film sets, in turn describing him as a superb performer. Rajkumar also stars Anil Kapoor, Reena Roy, Danny Denzongpa, Farida Jalal in pivotal roles.
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00:00In this film, he has never compromised on sets or taking.
00:08A lot of films are made with a lot of promise that we will make such a big film, we will do lavish, we will do this, we will do that.
00:16He is such a good actor, he talks so naturally, I forgot my lines.
00:20I forgot my lines.
00:22I was blank for a minute or two.
00:24Why did you decide to make this film?
00:29I was excited because there are a lot of possibilities in costume drama.
00:34Because costume drama has not come for many years.
00:39And I have never done a costume film before.
00:45So that was also very exciting about it.
00:48I enjoyed working a lot because in this film, he has never compromised on sets or taking.
01:02A lot of films are made with a lot of promise that we will make such a big film, we will do lavish, we will do this, we will do that.
01:10Because lavish films always take time to make.
01:15For example, a film does not complete in a year, it takes two years.
01:20And what happens is that the director's enthusiasm for the producer gradually decreases.
01:26But in this film, the enthusiasm has been the same.
01:31When I started the film, and even today when the last song is going on, the shooting is going on,
01:36the producer has never compromised, nor has the director ever compromised.
01:42And this is what is very good about this film.
01:45Because the canvas is constant throughout the film.
01:49And how much has been spent on the film, it is visible in the film.
01:53It's a very young, it's a very today kind of a film.
01:57It's not a traditional film.
02:00They have treated it in a very modern way with a fairy tale story.
02:09So it's fun, it's a fun film basically.
02:13The one thing I like about this film is that we are not pretending that we are making a historic film like Ben Hur or Mughal-e-Azam.
02:22We are not making that, we are making an entertaining film.
02:25And that has always been the goal of this film.
02:28And I think Pankaj is doing an excellent job with that.
02:32How did you feel when you were working with him?
02:35When I did the first scene with him, when he started talking,
02:39Was it Naseer's name?
02:40Yes, when Naseer ji started talking, in the first shot, in the first scene,
02:48he is such a good actor, he talks so naturally, I forgot my lines.
02:52I forgot my lines.
02:54I went blank for a minute or two.
02:56And then of course we picked it up.
02:59I think he has done a brilliant job in this film.
03:02He has two shades, two totally contrasting, opposite personalities he is playing in this film.
03:10And he is brilliant in the film.
03:13But there are dances in this.
03:19Every dance is different from the other dance.
03:23There is no similarity between the two songs.
03:27His treatment is different.
03:29His photography is beautiful.
03:32That's all I can say.
03:34And we have tried to give different looks in this film.
03:38I can tell you my favorite songs in this film.
03:43One is Qawwali, the climax of Qawwali.
03:48I think I haven't heard such Qawwali in many years.
03:51And I really like it.
03:53It's my favorite song in the film.
03:56Then I like Saath Samandar.
04:00Which is shown on TV.
04:04It has a completely different look.
04:07I am wearing very dark makeup.
04:12We have tried to give it a very different look.
04:14I hope people like it.
04:16Get my fingers crossed.
04:19Then comes Payal Meri.
04:23I think that is also a very tuneful and beautiful song.
04:30I think Pankaj's capabilities to make this sort of a film.
04:38His technical knowledge.
04:40Because he has done ad films.
04:42He knows a lot about lighting.
04:44He knows a lot about...
04:47Because I think when he does ads and all.
04:50Every detail is very important.
04:53He pays attention to every detail.
04:56And in this film, he probably felt that he has that kind of capacity.
05:01To handle...
05:03It's such a big project to handle that.
05:06And of course, he has a lot of technical know-how.
05:10He has a lot of interest in computers.
05:14So he knows a lot about special effects.
05:29I think when people watch this film.
05:33The sheer grandeur of this film is going to hit them.
05:37That this film, in this age.
05:40With everything being so costly.
05:48After spending so much.
05:50How did they manage to make this film?
05:52Because the canvas is so big.
05:54And you don't feel like you can do anything.
05:59If you don't have money, you compromise.
06:01No, no, let's not put up a big set.
06:03You'll spend a lot. Let's put up a small set and do something.
06:06No one will feel this way while watching the film.
06:09And even though it's a costume drama.
06:12Even the youngsters can enjoy this film today.
06:14Because there are a lot of special effects.
06:16The whole story is not of the historic type.
06:21It's an entertaining film.
06:23There are characters where anybody can identify with them.
06:26We all have worked very hard on this film.
06:31Everybody, from the cameraman, to the director, to the producer.
06:34He spent so much.
06:36The directors worked very hard.
06:38The hero has worked very hard.
06:40I have worked hard.
06:42Every character who has worked on this film.
06:44Set director, art director, everyone has worked.
06:46You better make it work.
06:56You better make it work.