When Shammi Kapoor summoned Anubhav Sinha for offering him villain role in TV show “Shikast”
When Shammi Kapoor summoned Anubhav Sinha for offering him villain role in TV show “Shikast”
Director Anubhav Sinha recalled how he convinced Shammi Kapoor to agree to play a villain in the television show Shikast, and saying that Gulzar gifted him a poem because he was so impressed.
Anubhav claimed that Shammi, best recognised for playing flamboyant lead roles, agreed to play a villain in the series.
But he had certain conditions.
Anubhav participated in masterclass at the recent Ajanta Ellora International Film Festival, where he answered questions about his three-decade career.
He said, that he made a show called Shikast. Somebody gave him Rs 60,000 to make a pilot.
He wanted Shammi Kapoor to play the villain, so he sent him the script. He read it and called him up and said Come over, he wants to meet him(Shammi Kapoor) Anubhav I went over, and said, he wanted to ask how dare Anubhav offered him the role of a villain when he doesn’t play such roles.
Anubhav told Shammi that he thought he looked the part, and eventually, Shammi agreed, but with conditions. He told him that he’d need a certain amount of money, and an assurance that he’d come to set at a particular time and would leave at 6 pm. Anubhav said that he became fast friends with Shammi, and on the second day of the shoot, he noticed that the actor was still hanging around the set at 10 pm. “What are you still doing here?” he asked the actor, who replied, that his car is in his shot!
Anubhav further added that he also approached Gulzar to use some of his poetry in the show, and the veteran writer told him that he’d first need to watch the pilot before agreeing to allow the use of his poetry.
Anubhav got Naseeruddin Shah to recite the poem, even though he didn’t know if he’d be allowed to use it. He recalled, “He watched the pilot and hugged him and said, he could see his struggle, and this is his contribution. He didn’t want anything for the poem.
Years later, when Anubhav asked Gulzar if he remembers the gesture, the writer said, “Of course he does. A poet never forgets gifting a poem for free.” Anubhav’s last film was Bheed, which experienced difficulties with the censor board before getting a limited release last year. He is now working on a streaming series.
News Edit K.V.Raman
