New Delhi. Mukesh Khanna often remains in the headlines for his statements. Recently, she had raised questions on the upbringing of Shatrughan Sinha’s children on social media, after which Sonakshi Sinha gave a befitting reply to ‘Shaktimaan’. After this Shatrughan Sinha also broke his silence. Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna, who often expresses his outspoken opinion on social media, has worked on TV as well as the big screen. After the altercation with the ‘Shotgun’ family, he talked about misbehavior with the seniors. He has shared the screen with veteran stars like Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar. Mukesh Khanna has recently shared some of his memories of working with Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar.
Mukesh Khanna has worked in many films like ‘Saudagar’, ‘Roohi’, ‘Saugandh’, ‘Tehelka’, ‘Jai Vikrant’, ‘Barsaat’, ‘Raja’. Recently, he had a special conversation with ETimes, in which he shared some of his memories of working with Bollywood legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar.
Mukesh Khanna had come to meet Subhash Ghai wearing Bhishma costume.
Sharing his experiences with veteran Bollywood actors, Mukesh Khanna talked about the challenges and learning moments he faced from them. He said, ‘I have had the privilege of working with stalwarts like Raj Kumar and Dilip Kumar. Recalling his time with Dilip Kumar in ‘Saudagar’, Mukesh Khanna shares an interesting anecdote. He said, ‘When I worked with Dilip Sahab in ‘Saudagar’, I wanted to be his son. When Subhash Ghai approached me, I rejected the role. I went to meet him in my Bhishma costume, wearing jeans. I told him, ‘You have taken me straight from the war scene!’ But he insisted, ‘Mukesh, you are Dilip Kumar’s angry son. You pick up the gun only after Jackie Shroff dies.
How was the first shoot with Dilip Kumar
Mukesh Khanna’s first scene with Dilip Kumar was an intense confrontation. He recalled, On the first day, during the muhurat shot in a farmhouse in Malad, we had a confrontation scene. Jackie Shroff was also there. My dialogue was intense. Jackie’s character says, ‘I heard that Ramakant has lost his patience today,’ and my answer was, ‘Yes, today we too have opened fire with our pistols.’ Dilip Sahab, standing behind me, says, ‘What difference does it make? He is our friend. My answer was, ‘He was your friend.’ Today he is your enemy.
When Subhash Ghai came between Mukesh Khanna and Dilip Kumar
During rehearsals, Mukesh Khanna pointed his finger directly at Dilip Kumar, which created a tense atmosphere on the set. After this Subhash Ghai had to come in between. He saw this tension and handled it brilliantly. He said, ‘Come, let’s take your shot separately and Dilip Sahab’s shot separately.’ He knew that Dilip Sahab would not like to challenge him directly, yet he understood the aggression of my character.
The experience of working with Raj Kumar was unique
Mukesh Khanna’s experience with Raj Kumar was equally unique. On the first day of shooting of ‘Jawaab’ in Delhi, I had a scene with Karisma Kapoor, who was playing my daughter. The story was about how her father, played by Raj Kumar, had entrusted her care to me when she was young. After 16 years, Raj Kumar’s character comes to ask for his daughter back. My character was of a tycoon, who angrily asks them, ‘Where were you for 16 years? When you were needed, you were not there! And now after so many years you have come to call her your daughter?’
Raj Kumar did not make eye contact during the shoot
Describing Raj Kumar’s unique acting style, Mukesh Khanna said, ‘Raj ji never made eye contact during the scenes. If you try to establish it, he will look away. As an actor, you notice these things instinctively. I later realized that this was just their way of working. He recalled the artistry between Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar during the late night shooting. He said, ‘I remember one particular night, around 2:30 am, when a scene was being shot between Dilip Sahab and Raj Kumar. The tension and artistry were evident. I was surprised by both the giants. Seeing how Dilip Sahab handled the intricacies of Actinil with Raj Kumar.
I have never been rude to seniors or…
Sharing his approach towards acting, Mukesh Khanna stressed on his respect towards co-stars, saying, ‘I have never been rude or disrespectful towards seniors, but when the camera rolls, I am in character. I am going. It doesn’t matter who is in front of me. I completely concentrate on the scene. Mukesh Khanna also reflected on his career and personality. He said that people often ask me whether I am aggressive by nature or it is just a pretense. I would say it’s a bit of both. This is an honest aspect. I have developed this persona because I know that my voice, dialogue delivery and presence matter. Off-camera, I am polite and respectful, but on-camera, I transform into character.
Tags: Dilip Kumar, mukesh khanna, sonakshi sinha
FIRST PUBLISHED: December 28, 2024, 09:58 IST
