In 1990 I launched a new magazine called ‘g’ and the publisher hosted a lavish party to celebrate our premier issue. Everyone in the film fraternity was present at the occasion but my old pal Neetu was unable to attend because one of the kids, Riddhima or Ranbir was unwell at that time. Neetu felt terrible about letting me down on my important day and made sure to send Rishi Kapoor for the party. He arrived suited-booted carrying a bunch of red roses for me and that day I had no option but to strike a long conversation with him.

Months multiplied into years and Rishi Kapoor and I slowly but steadily were building a new foundation to our relationship that included some smiles, some handshakes, some arguments, and very seldom some praises as well.  Neetu was amused by our new bonding and encouraged us to spend more time together but the fun was when we were all together because then Neetu and I were a team and he was the opposition. I have many memories of such afternoons and evenings.

In the meantime, Neetu was blossoming in all her roles – as a wife, mother and bahu of RK khandaan, I often bumped into her at social and professional events and no matter how many people surrounded us, we always had time to discuss her favorite topic, Chotte Sarkar Rishi Kapoor.

To be continued…

@bhawanasomaaya

Rishi Kapoor/ 80s-90s Blog day 1799In the 80s Neetu and Rishi had moved out of RK Bungalow in Chembur and were living independently in Pali Hill, Bandra but they were always there at RK Studio and home for a family occasion. The pictures below are at one such party held at #RK lawns post a private screening.Neetu was sporting a new haircut those days and the restless baby holding her hand is daughter Riddhima. There were a lot of guests that evening and Neetu had to attend to all of them, so when she got busy with others she put #RishiKapoor in charge of me. By this time we had dropped our guards but were still not comfortable in each other’s company and therefore when Neetu joined us after a few moments, both of us heaved a sigh of relief.

To be continued…

@bhawanasomaaya

When I became a journalist Neetu Singh was the first film friend I made way back in the 70s.

We clicked in the very first meeting and have remained friends over the decades. I would often visit her home in Bandra and on her sets, where ever she was shooting. I was familiar with her family and her staff and whenever we met, we had a lot to talk about, which included her boyfriend at that time, Rishi Kapoor.

I wasn’t particularly fond of Kapoor in the good old days. He was a big bully and intimidating everybody without provocation. I often complained about him to Neetu and she always maintained that his arrogance was a façade. She was madly in love with him and whenever she traveled outdoors, she asked me to keep an eye on her boyfriend. Not that I did but that was her way of warning her beloved that he was being watched in her absence. This irritated him naturally and he looked for opportunities to fight with me.

In 1980 when Neetu and he got married however, Rishi Kapoor suddenly dropped all hostility towards me. He was concerned why I was no more coming home to meet his wife and family and now when he bumped into me suddenly at a shooting, he made it a point to smile and say, ‘meri bibi ki dost hai toh ab meri bhi dost banti hai..’

To be concluded…

@bhawanasomaaya

In the olden days if you visited a friend at his shooting, they never allowed you to go home till pack-up. I tried to get up and leave a couple of times but every time, Anil and Satish Kaushik find excuses to keep me on their sets, just now it is the naashta break. and time for snack break. While the camera unit gets ready for the next location, Kaushik takes me for a stroll on his sprawling sets. There is a large terrace surrounded by trees. He points to the smiling flowers and informs that all the plants are artificial but they look so real that often he forgets that they are made of paper.

They have created the exterior of a beautiful bungalow and on the top floor is Anil Kapoor’s room, his balcony surrounded by bougainvillea branches.  After a guided tour of all the floors we arrive at a new set where the cameraman is all set. Post suhaag raat is serious scene where Shilpa has to make a long speech and confront Anil Kapoor. Anil is ashamed but has his say. Some more shots followed by a new scene for which Anil and Shilpa need to change their costumes.  I decide I have to go home now and Anil Kapoor escorts me to my car, he looks exhausted as well but cheerful, says, “It is normally 10-10 shift today we have wasted so much time celebrating that we are all prepared for an extension if we are lucky we will pack-up by midnight”.

@bhawanasomaaya

 As the last guest leaves, Satish Kaushik gets ready to resume work, summons the actors on the sets and takes position behind the monitor. They are shooting a suhaag raat scene between Shilpa and Anil the only problem is both, Shilpa and Anil cannot stop laughing. Anil clad in a white kurta and jasmine flowers rolled over his wrist has to swagger into the room and frighten the bashful bride. Shilpa looks distraught and the director calls cut! Kaushik asks the actors to stop laughing because the party is over and concentrate on the scene, they do and this time the shot is okayed.

As the actors get ready for the next scene, Satish tells me that Badhai Ho Badhai is a social drama. “I have come out of the image that a comic actor will make comic films. Humara Dil Aap ke Paas Hai was a hit at the box-office so now I’m at liberty to make what I want. This time too my story is very emotional and takes up for the woman.” Shilpa seated beside her director adds that it is a privilege to be cast in a film like this and Anil Kapoor pats his friend on the shoulder, says like Raj Kapoor he will soon be identified as a heroine’s director and gradually all the heroes will stop working with him. Everybody laughs…

More tomorrow…

@bhawanasomaaya

Was clearing old files from the computer and came across memories of a windy afternoon in the hills of Film City.  I am reproducing it as a blog because it revives warm memories of time gone by…The occasion is the silver jubilee celebration of Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hain and Mukta Arts, producer of Badhai Ho Badhai along with Satish Kaushik and Anil Kapoor are hosting a luncheon party on the lawns adjoining the sets. The entire team is present music director Anu Malik, Ramesh Taurani of Tips, Anil’s close friends Indra Kumar and Ashok Thakeria and of course the cast of Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hain and also the team of Sirf Tum.

Shilpa Shetty, heroine of Badhai Ho Badhai is cheerful as always and informs you about her character in the film. “I play a mad-hatter, an extension of director Satish Kaushik actually.’ Satish Kaushik hears his name and immediately joins us “I like shooting without stress and if we are going to be working together for a full year might as well have some fun. Don’t you agree David? David Dhawan shows a thumbs up and joins Rumi Jafri, Manmohan Shetty and others seated in a corner. The spirits are high and finally, around 4 pm, after a lot of food and endless rounds of print and electronic interviews, the party is dispersed.

More on this story tomorrow…

@bhawanasomaaya

Some films are good but go away unnoticed and one of them is The Lift Boy, it had a limited theatrical release in 2019 and despite no big stars in the film it ran houseful shows. The film didn’t get more screens or more days in the cinema halls in India but they were fortunate to have a simultaneous release in UAE and also Taiwan. After Channel 4 acquired the rights of the film in UK, Netflix has acquired the worldwide streaming rights and Netflix Digital Premieres the film today, Monday, 27th April 2020.  It is a must watch film relevant in present times duration only 107 mins and language is Hindi – English.