Dilip Kumar said ‘Beta, pathaan ka hath hai, behosh ho jaega' when Anupam Kher suggested to slap him for real in Karma
Kher recently recalled the first time he met Kumar on the sets of Karma in the early 1980s. 'I was already dressed as Dr. Dang at 7 am. Dilip sahab came to the set at 11 am. He got down from his white Mercedes in a white shirt. I kept looking at him. I thought, 'Wow, he's the guy why I became an actor,'' the actor said.
Anupam Kher listed Bimal Roy's 1958 horror romance Madhumati, Tapi Chanakya's 1967 dramedy Ram Aur Shyam, A Bhimsingh's 1970 action drama Gopi, and the 1955 romance Devdas as the films of Dilip Kumar that influenced him as an actor. 'I almost had my noise broken while buying tickets for Gopi in black,' Kher recalled on India TV's Aap Ki Adalat.
'I kept looking at him, how his hands looked like, how his face looked like. So Subhash Ghai took me to a corner and said, 'Tu jis pyaar se inko dekh raha hai, tu mujhe marvaega! Tu meri film ka villain hai! (The love with which you're looking at him, you'll ruin the film! You're the villain of my film!) Don't look at him with so much love,'' recalled Kher.
However, Anupam Kher had a response ready. He claimed it was the actor who was in love with Dilip Kumar, not the character. 'Anupam Kher Dilip Kumar se pyaar karta hai, Dr. Dang Vishwa Pratap se pyaar nahi karta (Anupam Kher loves Dilip Kumar, but Dr. Dang doesn't love Vishwa Pratap),' Kher replied, responding to the characters played by him and Kumar respectively in Karma.
Kher also recollected shooting the iconic slap scene in the film Karma. 'I committed a mistake. In order to impress him, I said, 'Sir, slap me for real.' He told me, 'Beta, Pathaan ka haath hai, beshosh ho jaega (Son, it's a Pathaan's hand, you'd faint after the slap).' But when he watched the scene, he told Subhash Ghai, 'A dangerous actor has arrived. He'll go a long way.' I then thought now that Dilip Kumar has endorsed me, no power in the world can stop me,' said Kher.
Also Read — Anupam Kher says he made bond for life with Shah Rukh Khan on the sets of DDLJ: 'Me and Shah Rukh went ballistic'
He also recalled a funny incident from the set when he was famished. Dilip Kumar wanted to tease him so he told Anupam Kher the story of the succulent apples his father used to sell. 'He said, 'It happens in Diminishing Marginal Utility that when you taste the second apple, then you don't enjoy it as much.' But I told him I'm enjoying it as much as I did the first one. Please stop this,' Kher recalled, laughing.
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The Wire
2 hours ago
- The Wire
House of McDowell's Soda Yaari Jam, India's Biggest Branded Live IP, Touches down in Kolkata
From jamming in the skies to gearing up for a Yaari-filled night in Kolkata with King, Sanam, Fossils, and Bharg Kale. Kolkata, West Bengal, India – Business Wire India This Friendship Day, House of McDowell's Soda is taking Yaari to new heights—both in the sky and on stage. As India's biggest branded live IP, Yaari Jam, produced and promoted by TribeVibe Entertainment, marked a historic moment with the first-ever jam at 36,000 feet, where KING and Karma transformed a flight into an unforgettable moment of friendship. Now, the journey lands in Kolkata for the next chapter. At its core, House of McDowell's Soda has always championed Yaari – not just as a theme, but as an emotion. With every edition of Yaari Jam, the brand strengthens its commitment to celebrating real connections between Yaars, via something that connects everyone – music. 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Bringing the real-life friend duo of KING, Karma, along with the others, onboard for a jam session at 36,000 feet and now taking that same energy to the heart of Kolkata - it doesn't get more iconic than this. What began as a simple celebration of friendship has evolved into one of India's biggest branded live IPs. Last year, we tapped 50,000 audiences across 5 cities for Yaari Jam. With every passing year, House of McDowell's Yaari Jam has grown bigger, bolder, and closer to the hearts of our audiences. At the core of it all is Yaari, and we have some very exciting things lined up for our audience in the upcoming months!' Shoven Shah, Founder & CEO, TribeVibe Entertainment, said, 'Yaari Jam has grown into India's biggest branded live IPs, with Kolkata bringing immense excitement and we're proud to be part of this cultural movement. At TribeVibe, we've always believed in the power of live entertainment to spark an unmatched artist-audience connection and the response to Yaari Jam is a testament to that. We have worked alongside House of McDowell's Soda from the early stages of the IP and to see it grow and have consumers showing up year on year, tuning in and celebrating music speaks volumes. With a lineup of incredible artists taking Yaari Jam to cities across India and meeting the rising demand for authentic, high-energy live moments, we're excited to bring yet another edition to life.' King, rapper and singer-songwriter, said, 'As we're heading to Kolkata with a lineup of incredible artists, I can't wait to feel the energy. Yaari is about creating moments that remind us of what happiness truly means. I hope my music adds to the vibe of the Yaari Jam legacy and makes it a night to remember.' 'We've always loved performing in Kolkata, the energy here is on another level,' said Sanam. 'Being part of House of McDowell's Soda Yaari Jam is special because it's not just about the music, it's about the yaari that inspires it. Friendship is at the heart of everything we do, and we can't wait to celebrate that spirit with the amazing crowd in Kolkata.' 'Kolkata is home, Kolkata is where most of our friends live. Performing here as part of the House of McDowell's Soda Yari Jam on Friendship Day is extra special. We are excited, and we cannot wait to hit the stage and get some rocking vibes.' added Fossils. All in all, House of McDowell's Soda knows exactly how to take friendship up a notch, even sky-high for that matter! The brand has more shows lining up in major cities across the country, so stay tuned! About Diageo India Diageo India is the country's leading beverage alcohol company and a subsidiary of global leader Diageo Plc. 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Since its inception in 2019, TribeVibe has transformed the college festival landscape through a robust nationwide Campus Ambassador Programme, partnering with over 750 colleges across 75 cities and curating unforgettable performances by some of the country's top artists across music, comedy and cultural genres. It has since evolved into a multi-vertical platform spanning multi-city artist tours, branded IPs, campus activations and its flagship Gen Z festival, Vibin'. With a roster of over 150 artists and a proven track record of executing more than 2,500 shows, including 1,500 college events, TribeVibe connects artists and brands directly with India's vibrant student community, engaging over 1.5 million students on-ground every year. Its marquee projects include Vir Das' Mindfool tour, Prateek Kuhad's 10-city run, Zakir Khan's 60-city comedy tour and regional showcases such as Aditya Gadhvi and Navratri with Falguni Pathak. As India's live entertainment industry decentralises beyond the metros, TribeVibe is at the forefront of tapping into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, building scalable, hyperlocal experiences that bridge the gap between high-demand audiences and top-quality live acts. Backed by the scale and expertise of BookMyShow, TribeVibe continues to fuel India's next wave of live entertainment by championing youth culture, greenfield markets and cutting-edge touring formats. To View the Image, Click on the Link Below: (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
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First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
Gopi Puthran on Netflix and Vaani Kapoor's Mandala Murders: 'I have tried to do something new and...'
Gopi is a big binger of psychological thrillers and mysteries that pushes audience to think about what is real, what is just sheer figment of imagination and can the occult exist in today's modern world read more YRF Entertainment's hugely acclaimed Mandala Murders has broken out as the Number 1 series on Netflix and it has also smashed into the global top 10 non-English series charts on the platform. Director and creator Gopi Puthran is thrilled with the appreciation that this highly original series is getting from all quarters. Gopi says, 'Originality of imagination has been the cornerstone for content that breaks out. If you look at Mardaani to Mandala Murders, I have tried to do something new and I have been empowered to push the envelope with every single project at YRF. I'm delighted with the response that Mandala Murders is getting from the audience.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He adds, 'From being the No 1 trending show on Netflix India, to our hitting the global charts on the platform, Mandala Murders is off to a great start and it makes all of us very, very happy. I wanted to create a binge-able, mind-bending, genre-defying series with Mandala Murders. It was risky and very ambitious and I'm very happy to see the initial response to the series.' Gopi is a big binger of psychological thrillers and mysteries that pushes audience to think about what is real, what is just sheer figment of imagination and can the occult exist in today's modern world. For him, Mandala Murders was an attempt to play with the minds of the audience. He says, 'I'm a big fan of dark, moody, crime dramas that leave you on the edge of what is real, what is imagination and what is occult if it exists in today's world.' Gopi adds, 'True Detective, The Sinners, Twin Peaks, Sharp Objects, are an exploration of how the mind can push people to the edge of belief and disbelief and if Mandala Murders is doing that to audiences in India with a story and a concept that's rooted in India and our culture, it is truly delightful.'
NDTV
3 hours ago
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The Making Of Khalnayak: How A Hollywood Pitch, A Breakup, And A Bomb Blast Shaped Bollywood's Most Controversial Film
In the summer of 1993, Subhash Ghai's Khalnayak stormed Indian screens like few had before it. What began as a signature Ghai masala entertainer quickly spiraled into a whirlwind of blurred lines: between hero and villain, glamour and scandal, fiction and reality. And everything collided in a story where the real drama was as gripping as the reel. At the centre was Sanjay Dutt, whose real-life Bombay blasts case nearly halted the film's release. Add a tabloid-fodder breakup with Madhuri Dixit, a battle over the ' Khalnayak Vs Khalnayika ' title, and the firestorm of controversy and moral panic ignited by the song Choli Ke Peeche kya hai. Khalnayak seemed doomed. But it survived and soared into legend, fueled by controversy and songs that still echo in nightclubs decades later. By the early '90s, the media had begun calling Subhash Ghai the new "Showman" of Bollywood, a title once reserved for Raj Kapoor. Riding high on a string of back-to-back blockbusters like K arma, Ram Lakhan, and Saudagar, which earned him the Best Director Filmfare Award, Ghai was at the peak of his game. He next announced, Devaa, a high-profile project with the reigning superstar Amitabh Bachchan. But creative differences between the two halted the project before it could take off. Some say Ghai didn't let go of the idea entirely and began shaping what would eventually become Khalnayak. But do you know that Khalnayak was initially planned as a Hollywood film? While vacationing in the U.S., Subhash Ghai stayed with tennis star-turned-Hollywood producer Ashok Amritraj. Amritraj urged Ghai to take a leap, suggesting he try his hand at a smaller Hollywood film to test the waters beyond Bollywood. Ghai pitched him the idea on the spot. Amritraj liked it. They registered the story with the Writers Guild. The title of the story was Be Negative. They sent it off to agents representing two top Hollywood stars. Ghai has recalled in his interviews that Eddie Murphy was approached for the role that would later go to Sanjay Dutt, while screen legend Omar Sharif was offered the part eventually played by Jackie Shroff. Negotiations got underway as Ghai began collaborating with a team of Hollywood writers on the screenplay, but soon realised his sensibilities rooted in Bollywood didn't fit their culture. It became clear to the 'showman' that he was better off making films on his own turf where he had full creative control over writing, editing, music, and performances. Back in Mumbai, he initially toyed with making a small-budget 'serious film' with Nana Patekar and Jackie Shroff. The lead character in this version was a dholakwala freshly released from Pune's Yervada Jail, heading to Mumbai for a life of crime. After completing the first draft, Ghai called Nana Patekar, who liked the story and agreed to play Khalnaayak. Film media at the time reported that people close to Ghai warned him against making a small-budget art film. They said a showman of his stature should deliver a big commercial spectacle with a star-studded cast. Nana Patekar was dropped from the film and expressed his displeasure in interviews. And then Sanjay Dutt, who was having a resurgence of sorts after his shaky start was signed to play Khalnaayak while Ghai regular Jackie Shroff took on the role of the police officer. Ghai had worked with Dutt a decade earlier in Vidhaata, but it was the success of Sadak and Saajan that propelled Sanjay into Bollywood's top tier. By the end of 1991, Sanjay Dutt, for the first time in his career, was the most sought-after star in Hindi cinema. Showtime magazine announced it in the cover story: 'Sanjay Dutt: The New Superstar'. Off-screen, Sanjay Dutt dominated headlines with his high-profile romance with Saajan co-star and Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit. The doomed romance Sanjay Dutt's life unfolded like a saga of highs and lows few could imagine. Born to screen legends Sunil Dutt and Nargis, his childhood was marked by hardship, followed by his mother's long battle with cancer and his own long struggle with addiction. By the late 1980s, as his career finally gained momentum, tragedy struck again. His wife, Richa Sharma, was diagnosed with cancer. After a series of surgeries, Richa went into remission. But during this fragile period, Sanjay and Richa's marriage was also unravelling. Enter Madhuri Dixit. Sanjay's nineties resurgence began with Thanedaar (1990), where Madhuri starred as his leading lady. The film is best remembered for the chartbuster "Tamma Tamma," featuring Dutt, a non-dancer, trying to keep pace with the dancing diva. Apart from Thanedaar, Sanjay had previously worked with Madhuri Dixit in Khatron Ke Khiladi and Kanoon Apna Apna. Both had signed more films together, such as Sahibaan and Mahaanta, and were spending a fair bit of time together. Soon rumours of a romance between them started doing the rounds in Mumbai. When Saajan became a blockbuster, their chemistry was widely credited for its success. This was when Sanjay's love life is said to have taken a very interesting, scandalous turn. Madhuri Dixit was signed as his leading lady in Khalnayak. While the stories about his association with Madhuri may not have been good for his already floundering marriage, their on-screen partnership would give Sanjay the best phase of his career. "Sanjay bolta tha, yeh picture bohot door tak jaayegi par dekhta tha Madhuri ki taraf" - Subhash Ghai In 2023, during a special screening celebrating 30 years of Khalnayak, Subhash Ghai turned towards Sanjay Dutt and playfully teased him, "Yeh bolta tha, yeh picture bohot door tak jaayegi par dekhta tha Madhuri ki taraf." Taken aback, Dutt laughed quietly, choosing silence over a reply. More than Saajan's success or Sanjay's rising stardom, it was the Sanjay-Madhuri story that dominated film magazine pages. Despite their denials, tabloids brimmed with innuendo and speculation. The media even hinted that Sanjay planned to divorce Richa. By 1992, while shooting Khalnayak, the film press openly labelled them a couple. Their fondness was clear, and Madhuri, at least, made no effort to hide it. She once told an interviewer, 'My favourite partner is Sanjay Dutt, he's a real joker . . . and his stories make me laugh all the time, but he is also a gentleman.' To another interviewer, she said, 'Sanju is a fantastic person. He has a loving heart and, in contrast to the widely held view, a good sense of humor. He is the only guy who makes me laugh all the time. He does not play games. He is open and uncomplicated.' But Madhuri didn't say much more than this to the press. Insiders believed their relationship was serious, with whispers of a wedding. Filmfare did a cover story titled 'Madhuri to Marry?', which hinted that Madhuri was planning to get married in 1994 - it didn't say to whom - and that she would leave the film business after her wedding. In the same story, it was reported that Sanjay and Madhuri had grown close during the Mysore schedule of Sahibaan (1993) and that 'Sanjay played Prince charming to the hilt'. Midway through the schedule, the location was shifted to the picturesque hills in Manali. According to Sahibaan's director, Ramesh Talwar, 'He [Sanjay] was always following Madhuri around and whispering "I love you", totally ignoring the fact that there were others around.' Though Richa seemed to want to work things out, Sanjay Dutt filed for divorce in early 1993. From the moment Khalnayak was announced, it was the hottest buzz in film circles. Sanjay had crossed the one crore signing-amount mark with Khalnayak. But as shooting progressed, no one could foresee the monstrous storm that was about to hit the film and Sanjay Dutt. When The Storm Hit Friday, on 12 March 1993, as Sanjay Dutt shot the film Jai Vikraanta in Jaipur, Mumbai was shattered by a series of deadly blasts. 257 people lost their lives, and 713 were injured. After the Jaipur schedule, Sanjay left for Mauritius on 2 April 1993 to shoot the climax of Sanjay Gupta's Aatish. Within weeks, his name surfaced in the Mumbai blasts investigation, linking him to the conspiracy and sparking a national media frenzy. When he landed in Mumbai on 19 April, police were waiting. The arrest marked the darkest chapter of his life-and one of Bollywood's biggest scandals. The media was relentless, and the Dutt's felt cornered, abandoned by many, despite a few powerful allies in the film industry rallying behind them. But there was one special person from whom Sanjay Dutt and his family were expecting support. Sanjay was waiting for his 'close friend' Madhuri Dixit to call or come over to meet him, but the wait for Madhuri was futile. A June 1993 cover story in Stardust said what Sanjay was dreading: 'Madhuri Dumps Sanjay!' It went on to narrate how Madhuri apparently decided almost overnight after Sanjay was arrested that she wasn't going to have anything to do with him any more. But things did not end at this. A few days later, Madhuri aired her version of the truth on the alleged relationship in the press. Senior journalist and author Bharathi S. Pradhan, who interviewed Madhuri at the time, recounted the incident in 2011. "Madhuri nipped the entire Dutt episode by giving me an interview . . . She made it extremely clear on record that she was not involved with him. No, she replied, she was not in love with him. No, she said, there was no question of marrying him; she had nothing to do with him." Recalling the important interview, Bharathi said, 'It was only a few weeks later, after the cover story was published, that I realised I'd been the messenger. She had unequivocally broken off with Sanju with that one well-timed interview. Nobody blamed the straightforward Madhuri for putting an end to the Dutt chapter . . . A Dutt-Dixit alliance would've been disastrous, and she was too sensible not to see it.' Headlines, Controversies, And The Khalnayak Release Khalnayak had also grabbed headlines for its music. Firstly, an HMV loyalist, Subhash Ghai, moved to Tips, which was paying him Rs 1 crore for the music rights over HMV's Rs 40 lakh. It was a big deal, but he lived up to the expectations raised with Choli Ke Peechey, becoming a mammoth chartbuster. The music label sold one crore cassettes in the first release itself. But the song sparked outrage after a Delhi lawyer filed a case, calling it obscene, harmful to children and 'degrading Indian culture.' Politicians and women's groups soon joined in, and the controversy escalated just as the film neared release. The censor board was adamant that the song, with its 'obscene' lyrics, should be deleted from the film. But Subhash Ghai fought back. The song stayed and went on to become a monster hit. It wasn't only Sanjay's infamy that prompted people to line up outside movie halls to watch the film. The song Choli ke peeche played an important part too. When Khalnayak was in the making, filmmaker Saawan Kumar launched Khal-Naaikaa, a separate film with a similar sounding title starring Anu Agarwal, Jeetendra and Jaya Prada. The press buzzed with attacks and accusations from both sides. Both films were locked in a race to the finish, and both hit theatres on the same day. As Khalnayak neared release, it took on a sharply political edge. Days before its premiere, BJP's student wing, ABVP, stormed Mumbai's Maratha Mandir, halting a screening of Sanjay Dutt's Kshatriya. Other theatres soon pulled his films under pressure. Protesters burned Sanjay Dutt's effigies and defaced hoardings with garlands of slippers. On May 5, 1993, Dutt was granted interim bail and rushed to finish dubbing for his pending films. The posters of Khalnayak didn't shy away from using Sanjay's legal troubles to push the project. They featured a handcuffed Sanjay declaring, 'Haan, main hoon khalnayak. [Yes, I'm a villain.]' Many in the film industry thought that Ghai was opportunistically milking the tragedy to promote his film. Ghai brushed aside this criticism, saying the promotions were in fact planned much in advance. With the media portraying Sanjay as Bollywood's arch villain, Khalnayak finally hit theaters on August 6, 1993. Loud and unapologetically Ghai, Khalnayak was packed with hit songs, melodrama, and over-the-top characters. It may not have aged well, but in 1993, it was truly an event. Glossy posters declared it "An Amazing Portrait of a Sensitive Villain." When it opened on August 6, lines stretched around theatres. The verdict was clear: Bollywood's original bad boy had become an even bigger star. Khalnayak ended the year as the second-highest-grossing film of 1993, just behind David Dhawan's Aankhen, and one of the decade's biggest box office hits. Thirty-two years on, filmmakers still vie for the rights to remake Khalnayak. Subhash Ghai himself continues to tease the possibility of a Khalnayak 2. In these three decades, Sanjay and Madhuri have crossed paths many times at Bollywood functions and even shared the screen again in Kalank (2019). In 2017, Sanjay was a guest speaker for a session at Goafest. During the round of audience questions after the interview, someone asked Sanjay Dutt, 'Given a chance today, which actress would you like to marry?' Sanjay, in all seriousness, replied, 'I would like to marry Madhuri Dixit.'
