‘Grumpy and disinterested' Sanjeev Kumar told Sai Paranjpye that he could spare just 15 minutes for narration, backed out of film because he had beef with Basu Bhattacharya

Indian Express

17-05-2025

Renowned filmmaker Sai Paranjpye, one of the leading voices of India's New Wave cinema, recently shared a fascinating behind-the-scenes story with Filmfare about the casting of her acclaimed film Sparsh. Known for directing classics like Katha, Chashme Buddoor, and Disha, Paranjpye revealed that she originally envisioned legendary actor Sanjeev Kumar in the lead role of Anirudh, a part that would eventually go to Naseeruddin Shah. In the candid conversation, Paranjpye recalled approaching actor Tanuja first, who immediately agreed to come on board. And it was Tanuja who suggested Sanjeev Kumar, affectionately known as Haribhai in the industry, for the male lead.
'For years, I had Sanjeev Kumar in mind when I wrote the damn script,' Paranjpye said. 'In fact, when I wrote it in its final film form, I had seen Sanjeev and Tanuja saying the dialogues that I was writing down. It was so clear in my mind.' Excited by the suggestion, Paranjpye asked Tanuja, 'Fantastic, but how do we get to Haribhai?' To which Tanuja confidently replied, 'Leave that to me.' What followed was a peculiar yet memorable moment. Tanuja called Sanjeev Kumar right in front of her. Paranjpye remembered him being 'very reluctant,' but Tanuja persisted, reassuring him: 'No, no, no, but Haribhai, you can trust me, I won't just bring someone random to you… I mean, no, no, she hasn't made anything before, but believe me…' Eventually, they secured a meeting with the actor. Paranjpye vividly recalled the encounter.
'Anyway, finally we went there, to Haribhai. And there he was, looking very grumpy, because I don't think he was at all keen on hearing the script. But I think Tanu just bulldozed her way through. So we went in, and he said, 'I can just spare you 15 minutes because I've got to go somewhere in 30 minutes.' I said, 'Okay.' So we sat down, and he said, 'You ladies don't mind if I shave?' I was a bit surprised, but I said, 'Okay… beggars can't be choosers,' right?' She continued, 'So there he was, with my script, Sanjeev Kumar, with his brush, applying lather to his face, and I found it very peculiar. But somehow, my feistiness (came through) and I started reading.' As she read, something shifted.
'After about 10 or 15 minutes, or even before that, I saw the brush slowly stop. His body language changed. He leaned forward to listen. Then he put the brush down. And he was listening. And after 15 minutes, I stopped. He said, 'Haan?' I said, 'Well, the 15 minutes are up.' He said, 'No, no, that's okay, carry on.' I said, 'But I have to go somewhere after 15 minutes.' And Tanuja was scandalised: she looked at me, very annoyed, like, 'What the hell? Is this woman mad?' But I was very, very sure. Because I knew I had caught the fish, you see.'
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Before leaving, Sanjeev Kumar asked her, 'Well, can you at least leave the script?' Paranjpye obliged. The next day, Tanuja confirmed that Haribhai had read the story and loved it. He was ready to do the film. But just as things were falling into place, fate intervened. Basu Bhattacharya stepped in as producer. Both Sanjeev Kumar had worked with him previously on Anubhav, an experience Paranjpye described as 'terrible' for Sanjeev. Because of this history, Sanjeev Kumar backed out of the project.
Determined to move forward, Paranjpye turned to Naseeruddin Shah, fresh out of the National School of Drama. He came on board instantly. However, a suggestion came from someone close: pair him with a different female lead, not Tanuja. So Paranjpye approached Shabana Azmi, who too agreed immediately. The resulting film, Sparsh, was not only a critical success but also won multiple accolades, including the National Film Award for Best Actor for Naseeruddin Shah and Best Screenplay for Paranjpye.