In a latest podcast with senior most journalist Bharathi S Pradhan for Lehren Retro, Choreographer turned Director Ahmed Khan recollects some unheard and exciting tales from the Sets Of Mr. India (1987) in which the versatile performer made his Hindi Film Industry debut as a child artist! Ahmed elaborates upon some fun facts & BTS instances of Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Amrish Puri, Satish Kaushik & others in turn getting candid about the Shekhar Kapur directorial movie.
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00:00Give me one or two, at least one good story from Mr. India Days, with anyone, with Shree
00:15or with Anil or with Shekhar, at least remember something.
00:22There were a lot.
00:24Anil Kapoor, first time he had come to the sets and Venus, Tapan and me, we were the
00:30break dancers and we were like the cool guys.
00:32I was from town.
00:33They are the Jubawees.
00:34Juskheem.
00:35Okay.
00:36So Juskheem and town were like…
00:37Town, yes, yes.
00:38We used to say everything else.
00:39So Anil Kapoor had come with his flowery shirt and wet hair, a coat of his fiat and I saw
00:44Anil Kapoor.
00:45So Venus told her, bro, chill man, even we are actors.
00:48Don't act like a…
00:50Fan.
00:51Don't make it like a fan moment for yourself.
00:53Okay.
00:54He looked at us and he went inside, wearing glasses.
00:57He said, cool, hold, hold, we said.
01:01He said, suddenly peeped back.
01:03He said, you kids are in the film?
01:06I said, Venus, kids?
01:09He said, yeah.
01:11He came from there and he did this to our cheeks, hair, slapped us.
01:16In two seconds, we became, thank you uncle, thank you uncle.
01:22So that happened.
01:24And one, I remember once what, Amrish ji was the villain.
01:28Right, Mogambo.
01:29We were called Mogambo and at that time we didn't understand Mogambo.
01:33Mango…
01:34We didn't understand.
01:35How can a name be Mogambo?
01:37Mogambo.
01:38Javed sir said, the name is Mogambo.
01:42And I remember Javed uncle used to love us a lot, used to carry us in his arms.
01:48So it happened that, let's go.
01:51Shekhar uncle said that, I am taking you all somewhere.
01:53They took us to RK studio.
01:55And they made the whole environment where I remember that everyone had to go inside, Mogambo is there.
02:02And Amrish Puri was standing there with his wig and everything.
02:07And the door opened, we walked in.
02:10And he is standing, Mogambo, Khushu, they did that thing for us.
02:15And as he turned, they thought that we will get scared.
02:18But we had become champions.
02:21Amrish Puri, Amrish Puri.
02:23So the effect they thought didn't happen.
02:27So he said, Shekhar, your kids turned out to be very smart.
02:33So I remember this sequence.
02:35And then how they hid it from us when they were shooting the Mr. India sequence.
02:41How he is disappearing, how he is swimming in the water.
02:44Footsteps.
02:46So we used to always wonder that, that watch that used to come.
02:51So is it really there in this watch?
02:53And they used to act like, don't touch this watch.
02:55So even we used to think that there is something in this.
02:58Naturally, you didn't know about the special effects and all.
03:03And we didn't know that Anil Kapoor is going to disappear in the film.
03:07We had no idea that something like this was going to happen.
03:12When did you see the film for the first time?
03:16When Puri was made.
03:17No, he used to show us rushes.
03:19Oh.
03:20In Dimple.
03:22And Ajanta.
03:24He used to take us.
03:26Go, go, scratch his beard and go and see.
03:28Who, Shekhar?
03:29Yes.
03:30Go and see your thing.
03:31And we used to see,
03:32At that time, there was no sound.
03:36Roopchand's shop.
03:37What are you saying? Dialogue.
03:39He didn't understand anything.
03:41We used to see our scenes.
03:42What are we saying?
03:44And we are watching for four hours.
03:46And they used to ask, how do you like it?
03:48How do you feel?
03:49We used to say, do you like it?
03:51But we were kids.
03:52Hey, see Venus, what are you doing?
03:53Hey Sameer, how are you doing?
03:55So we were not interested in the film.
03:57In the film.
03:58Oh, I remember this time you fell.
04:00Look at me.
04:01What am I doing?
04:02So in that.
04:03So he actually made it like,
04:05He told, he made it like,
04:06We felt we are the stars of the film.
04:09And Anil Kapoor and all,
04:11He never let us feel that, you know,
04:13I am a star.
04:16Whatever kids do,
04:17He used to be like, yes, kids.
04:19And that is a scene.
04:24That time,
04:25I realized what acting is.
04:27Do you remember?
04:28We don't get food.
04:30I was just going to say.
04:31And she comes and she shows you.
04:32Yes.
04:33Yeah.
04:34A day before that,
04:37There is a shot,
04:38Where Anil Kapoor is making us sleep.
04:41On bunk beds.
04:42And he is playing the violin.
04:44He took a wide shot,
04:45A tele shot from a distance.
04:47And,
04:49The violin is playing like this.
04:51And we were laughing.
04:53That time he came and said,
04:54Don't laugh.
04:56Come on, I will speak Ahmed.
04:58Now you slowly yawn.
05:00And,
05:02Go to sleep.
05:03Don't laugh.
05:04I know the violin is sounding funny.
05:06But there won't be any sound in the camera.
05:08It was a tele shot.
05:10And they were going to put a background later.
05:12And we all slept and everything.
05:14Cut.
05:15So we all discussed.
05:19This,
05:20How did he tell us?
05:23And this funny thing was playing.
05:26We were laughing.
05:28And then he didn't tell.
05:29Guys, pay attention.
05:30Don't laugh on this.
05:31I am making you all sleep.
05:32Go to sleep.
05:33The way he made it.
05:35That time we realised,
05:37This is called acting.
05:38You don't have to bother.
05:39What is happening right now.
05:40There will be background music on it.
05:41There will be things on it.
05:43And that scene of hunger.
05:45It was going to happen one day.
05:47And,
05:48Satish Kaushik said,
05:50Keep the kids hungry.
05:51Really?
05:52You will get the expression.
05:55We were hungry that day.
05:56But the shot didn't happen.
05:57So,
05:58The next day,
05:59Shekhar Kapoor said,
06:00Nobody will be hungry.
06:01Everybody will eat food.
06:02Now we will eat food.
06:03Chicken,
06:04Chicken,
06:05Chocolate,
06:06Chocolate,
06:07After eating chocolate,
06:08Now he is giving the shot.
06:09She comes,
06:10With such a big mouth,
06:11With such a big mouth,
06:12With such a big stomach,
06:13And we have to act hungry.
06:14And we have to act hungry.
06:15Hungry.
06:16But,
06:17The way,
06:18Shekhar Kapoor made that scene.
06:23He,
06:24Put us all together.
06:26And we are joking,
06:27Laughing,
06:28Can I eat this uncle?
06:29Yeah, yeah,
06:30You can eat it later.
06:31Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit.
06:33He made us sit for hours.
06:36Till we all became this way.
06:40You were a hungry yogi.
06:42Everybody's energy was like this.
06:45Come on, let's take the shot now.
06:48The kids are in the mood.
06:49He was not bothered,
06:50Sridevi is waiting or anything.
06:51Okay.
06:52Come on, come on,
06:53Yes, come on,
06:54The kids are ready,
06:55This uncle is ready.
06:56Otherwise,
06:57Yeah, uncle is ready.
06:58We were like this.
06:59Yeah, uncle is ready.
07:00She will bring the food.
07:01Just look at the food.
07:02Look at her.
07:03So, we were disinterested.
07:05But that disinterest,
07:07Made us feel hungry.
07:08That you are hungry.
07:09Yes.
07:10So, these are the anecdotes.
07:11You know,
07:12Getting work done from kids,
07:13Is almost like getting work done from animals.
07:14Absolutely.
07:15You have to get work done from an animal.
07:17You have to do it the same way.
07:18Correct, correct.
07:19So, where do we understand,
07:20What is hunger?
07:21And,
07:22We have to act like this.
07:23But, these 2-3 things,
07:24Happened like this,
07:25And then we became actors.
07:26Okay.
07:27So, when Tina dies,
07:28Yes.
07:29In the fair.
07:30Yes, in the graveyard.
07:31We have to cry in the graveyard.
07:32Yes.
07:33Then we have to sing.
07:34Gham ka baadal jo chahiye.
07:36Yes.
07:37The acting that we did,
07:38After crying,
07:39That was acting.
07:40Okay.
07:41By then,
07:42You must have been
07:43Experienced.
07:44We were like,
07:45Stars.
07:48So, after this,
07:49When you got to know,
07:50That it was a hit,
07:51You all became famous,
07:52With your stories.
07:53Yes.
07:54You all became famous,
07:55In your own schools.
07:56Absolutely.
07:57Absolutely.
07:58We became famous in school,
07:59And you,
08:00Then it was like,
08:01Why are we going to school now?
08:04It's done,
08:05It's set now.
08:06We got a line in the film industry,
08:07So, catch it and leave.
08:08Yes.
08:09So, when we went to school,
08:10That special child,
08:11And the principal,
08:12The star of the eyes.
08:14Attention.
08:15Yes.
08:16Class teacher saying,
08:17Khan,
08:18Get the books to the,
08:20Staff room.
08:21So, I am taking the books.
08:22That special attention.
08:23That's it.
08:24Only I am allowed,
08:25To grow my hair.
08:26Continuity.
08:27Oh.
08:28I don't know,
08:29But continuity.
08:31So, it was this way.