Latest news with #BRChopra
India.com
a day ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
You won't believe BR Chopra's Mahabharat, starred four Muslim actors, Not only Arjun, they are…
Mahabharat and Ramayana are such TV serials that are watched with great interest not only by Hindus but also by people of the Muslim religion. There are many things related to BR Chopra's Mahabharat that many viewers do not know till now. BR Chopra's Mahabharat started on 2 October 1988 and ran till the year 1990. This show was made on a very grand level. Even today, the image of the people working in this series is in the minds of the people who saw the show. Many Muslim actors did excellent acting in this religious serial related to Hinduism. Know some interesting facts related to the Mahabharat here. Four actors were Muslims Feroz Khan played the role of Arjun in the Mahabharat show. Everyone knows this now. Along with him, there were 3 other Muslim actors in the show. Let's know about them. Shakuni Mama did more than 5000 auditions The casting of Mahabharat started in 1986, and the shooting of the show started in mid-1988. BR Chopra himself had chosen the characters for the serial very thoughtfully. Goofy Paintal, who played the role of Shakuni, has said that the casting was historic. He was also the casting director of the show. Goofy had told that he had auditioned about 5000 people. Feroz Khan's mother started calling him Arjun It is said that BR Chopra chose Feroz Khan for the role of Arjun after rejecting many people. Feroz became so famous in the role of Arjun that people started calling him Arjun in real life too. During an interview, Feroz Khan had told that his mother also calls him Arjun. Kunti was also a Muslim Apart from Arjun, Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas in Mahabharat, was also a Muslim. This role was played by Nazneen. Razzaq Khan was Ghatotkach Two more characters of Mahabharat were Muslims in real life. These were Raja Parikshit and Ghatotkach. The actor who played the role of Parikshit was Ayub Khan. Whereas the role of Ghatotkach was played by Razzaq Khan. Sameer Chitre and Sanjeev Chitre, who played the roles of Nakul and Sahadev in Mahabharat, were brothers in real life too.
India.com
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actor, who became popular as ‘Abhimanyu' in BR Chopra's Mahabharata, played ‘young' Amitabh Bachchan, quit acting, moved England to work as…, his name is…
Meet actor, who became popular as 'Abhimanyu' in BR Chopra's Mahabharata, played 'young' Amitabh Bachchan, quit acting, moved England to work as..., his name is... He was considered one of the most expensive child actors in 70s and 80s. He portrayed Jr Amitabh Bachchan in films like Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Laawaris . Moreover, his portrayal of Abhimanyu in BR Chopra's Mahabharata garnered him immense appreciation. Despite being the highest-paid child artist of his times, he chose to step away from acting at the peak of his career. We are talking about none other than Master Mayur, originally known as Mayur Raj Verma. He started his career at the age of five, and as a child artist worked with almost every A-lister, including Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Jeetendra and Anil Kapoor. Mayur's debut success in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar catapulted him into stardom, earning him the title of 'Chota Amitabh.' His career rose to success with hits like Laawaris, Love in Goa, Sharabi, and Kanoon Apna Apna. Reflecting about his popularity, Raju said in Rediff interview in 1977, that he was paid 'more than Rs 1 lakh.' He said, 'In 1973, I was paid Rs 10,000 per film. In 1977, when I got very popular, I would get more than Rs 1 lakh.' BR Chopra, mesmerised by his talent, then cast him as Abhimanyu in Mahabharata , sparking speculations of future superstar. Raju did few notable films as a child, but failed to become a popular actor as an adult. Eventually, his decision to quit film industry at the peak left everyone shocked. At the height of his acting career, Mayur Raj Verma chose to venture into business. He relocated to Wales with his wife Noori, and two kids, establishing a successful business empire. Together with his wife, they manage a restaurant in Indiana, which has been flourishing, contributing billions to his wealth. In addition to his restaurant business, he is involved in other ventures too.
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Rumoured to be haunted, Rajesh Khanna's ‘cursed' sea-facing bungalow Aashirwad was purchased for just Rs 3.5 lakh; it was sold for Rs 90 crore
In the 1960s, Carter Road in Bandra, Mumbai, wasn't the hotspot that it is now. It housed mostly Parsis and Anglo-Indians. Among the row of houses at the seafront was a bungalow rumoured to be haunted. According to journalist Ali Peter John, the house was in a dilapidated state, and nobody was willing to buy it, even at dirt cheap prices. The existence of the house was brought to the attention of actor Rajendra Kumar, who was then just starting out in Hindi films. Excited by the opportunity to live in a bungalow with a view of the sea, he was determined to purchase it, even though he didn't have the money to. According to Seema Sonik Alimchand's book Jubilee Kumar: The Life and Times of a Superstar, the house was put on sale for Rs 65,000. But Rajendra Kumar could only spare Rs 10,000. He said, 'I immediately signed a cheque for Rs 10,000 and sent it to the broker. Now I had to pay fifty-five thousand more, which I didn't have in my account. So I went to Mr BR Chopra, who, a few days earlier, had offered me two films — Dhool ka Phool and Kanoon. While I had accepted both, we had yet to come to an agreement over the payment for each film.' Also read – Javed Akhtar bought 4,000 sq ft bungalow on Bandra Bandstand for Rs 5 lakh in 1970s, reveals Sahir Ludhianvi was paid in prime real estate by BR Chopra Rajendra Kumar told the kindhearted BR Chopra that he would do both films, but would need to be paid in advance. They reached an agreement. He said, according to the book, 'The consolidated fee they were offering for both films was not acceptable to me. So CVK Shastri, the Chopras's production controller, and I were still wrangling over it when this beautiful bungalow came into the picture. I told Chopra Saab, 'Shastriji and I have reached an impasse regarding my fee. So could we please finalize the amount?' Chopra Saab asked, 'How much has Shastri offered you?' Rs 1,50,000 for both films,' I told him. 'And I hove asked for Rs 2 lakhs, as I am charging other producers more than a lakh per movie.' He said, 'All right, I will pay you Rs 1,75,000 for both.' I agreed immediately, but laid down the condition that he should pay me Rs 50,000 then and there. And the magnanimous B.R. Chopra immediately handed me the money. I paid Rs 55,000 to the owner of the bungalow on Carter Road that I had set my eyes on.' But the matter of the haunting remained. According to Alimchand's book, the broker Rajendra Kumar met with dismissed the rumours. 'Apparently, this gentleman hasn't paid the rent for months, and now that the landlord has given him an ultimatum he's probably spreading rumours to drive off prospective buyers and tenants. Otherwise, why would he continue to live in a haunted house?' he told the actor. According to Ali Peter John, Rajendra Kumar consulted actor Manoj Kumar, and told him about the rumours. Manoj Kumar advised Rajendra not to pay heed to them, and to perform a puja if necessary. Rajendra renovated the place and gave it the name Dimple, after his newborn daughter. His career took off, and soon, he earned the moniker 'Jubilee Kumar'. He was able to buy another bungalow, which he named Dimple as well. It was around this time that another young actor was taking his first steps in the industry; his name was Rajesh Khanna. He heard that Rajendra Kumar was looking to sell his Carter Road bungalow, and decided to purchase it, hoping that some of the star's good fortune would rub off on him. According to Peter John, Rajesh bought the bungalow for Rs 3.5 lakh, but because he wasn't allowed to keep the name 'Dimple', he named it 'Aashirwad'. 'You must change the name. Dimple is my daughter's name. We had named the Carter Road bungalow after her and we have now named our new home 'Dimple' too. But you have my blessings for your new home. May it bring you immense luck and prosperity,' Alimchand's book quoted Rajendra Kumar as saying. Rajesh's fortunes indeed changed. He became the first 'superstar' of Hindi cinema, and hordes of fans would throng the streets outside Aashirwad. According tot he book Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna by Gautam Chintamani, once Rajesh moved into Aashirwad, 'the facade of being a king was complete.' 'Khanna made tens of producers wait endlessly outside the fabled durbar, granting audience only once they had done time. He would emerge in his famous silk lungi-kurta and take his position at a chair that was conspicuously placed a little higher than the others to differentiate between the king and his subjects. Only a select had access to the inner sanctum, and many a times, those waiting outside would tell the ones who passed by to put in a good word… Inside, copious amounts of whisky would flow endlessly through the night and those present would sing praises of King Kaka… Those who didn't agree with him or presented a somewhat contrarian point of view even for the sake of argument, were often shown the door. The manner in which Khanna supposedly banished people from his court was nothing less than high theatrics; he would weigh the words that didn't meet his approval and proclaim, 'Aapko humara durbar chhodna padega'. However, Rajesh's career famously sank after the arrival of Amitabh Bachchan. According to Peter John, 'Finally, this one-time haunted house started haunting him and he spent most of his time in his office on Linking Road, going home only to sleep in a tiny bedroom in a corner.' Rajesh Khanna died in 2012. Following his death, Aashirwad was sold for Rs 90 crore to Shashi Kiran Shetty, founder and chairman of AllCargo Logistics. A highrise stands on the land today.
India.com
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Remember Roopa Ganguly who played 'Draupadi' in Mahabharata? Worked with Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, 34 years later she is now...
Roopa Ganguly from BR Chopra's Mahabharata (screengrab) Television, TV shows, films, were a luxury in the days of yore. Not everyone had a TV set, maybe 1 in 5 families in the colony owned a personal TV where neighbours would gather maybe on a weekend to watch a movie etc. That was the hype. In addition to it, there weren't alot of option either. Not so many channels or shows. Hence, few shows that aired on DD became the talk of the town and one of them was BR Chopra's 'Mahabharata'. This show still holds a special place in hearts of several Indians. The actors and characters are still reminisced with touch of that nostalgia. Do you remember the actress who essayed the character of 'Draupadi'? Well, today she boasts of working with some of the contemporary stars. Roopa Ganguly rose to fame with her character in the Indian mythological epic. Ganguly first stepped into the acting field with a Hindi telefilm 'Nirupama' in 1986 that was based on a Bengali short story written by Rabindranath Tagore. Slow and steady she carved a niche for herself. She worked in different shows and movies too and became pan-Indian face after her character of Draupadi. Roopa Ganguly Was Not First Choice For Mahabharata Not many people know that Roopa Ganguly was not the first choice for Draupadi. BR Chopra was impressed by her work and decided to offer her the role after actress Juhi Chawla declined the role. Ganguly was hailed for her performance in the show. Despite the success and fame, her career in Hindi films was not as great but she did a few films even in south cinema. Late, she also joined politics and became a member of Bhartiya Janta Part in 2015. She was also nominated to the Rajya Sabha when former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned. Personal Life Roopa Ganguly had married Dhrub Mukherjee in 19992 and welcomed a baby boy later. However, the relationship witnessed the test of time and crumbled under it. After 15 year of marriage they decided to part ways. Later, the 'Sachch Ka Samna' actress was allegedly in a relationship with singer Dibyendu, who was 13 years younger than her. But, reportedly, it culminated in separation which affected her mental health gravely. In old interviews she had accepted of trying to attempt suicide. She worked in popular Hindi shows such as Kanoon (1993), Chandrakanta (1994), Love Story, Karam Apnaa Apnaa (2007), and Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo (2009). The star also made her Bollywood debut in the 1985 film Saheb , opposite Anil Kapoor. She has also worked in blockbuster 'Barfi' along with Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. she essayed the character of Illena D'Cruz's mother. Almost 35 years after Mahabharata aired, Roopa Ganguly exudes a charm and grace in her own right!
News18
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
BR Chopra Defended Muslim Writer For TV's Mahabharat, Said People Thought Of It As 'Hindu Story': 'It Isn't'
In the Making of Mahabharat, BR Chopra said that making Mahabharat was a dream for many producers, including him. But he knew the story was too big for a short film. 'Every producer dreams of making Mahabharat. I also wanted to make it but I knew that you can't make it in a three hour film. If you want to make it, you have to make it in a long format, and the only option for that was television," he had said. For Mahabharat to work, BR Chopra knew it needed to be easy for everyone to follow. With so many characters and events, the story had to be clear. Once the audience understood who the good and bad characters were, the show needed something to tie it all together. That's when BR Chopra found Rahi Masoom Raza. In the Making of Mahabharat, Chopra said they needed a narrator for each episode to explain the events. After a lot of discussion, Raza came up with the famous line, 'Main Samay hoon" (I am Time), suggesting Time be the narrator. BR Chopra agreed right away. He said, 'All the restrictions that a Muslim man will write a Hindu story… People think of this as a Hindu story. We don't think so but anyway… Everything just went out of the window. The way he wrote it, we signed him." people were not happy about Rahi Masoom Raza joining the writing team. When Doordarshan saw the episode plan from BR Films, they were mostly happy but asked how a Muslim writer could write the show. BR Chopra's daughter-in-law, Renu, shared this on Kapil Sharma's show. She said Chopra said,
