Veteran actor Farida Jalal has been hitting the headlines off late for opening up on her roles in films and her co-stars.
Veteran actor Farida Jalal has been hitting the headlines off late for opening up on her roles in films and her co-stars.
Recently she opened up on the only super Rajesh Khanna.
Infact Farida Jalal and Rajesh Khanna embarked on their journey in the film industry at around the same time. The two were finalists on the same talent show, where they were declared joint winners and offered film roles.
In a recent interview, Farida recalled working with Kaka, as he was fondly known, in the film Aradhana, which catapulted him to the ‘Super Star’ tag.
Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore shared the lead role in the Shakti Samant’s directorial
‘Aradhana, but Farida had a substantial role in it. As per Farida. Rajesh behaved arrogantly on set, which led to a few spats between the two.
The actress further went on to add that she didn’t give him the star treatment on the set, which perhaps offended him a little bit. She also gave him as much attention, but he got annoyed nevertheless she was in her own world, while adding that he was actually impressive in the film.
She then recalled that Sharmila Tagore was quite protective of her on the set as she was a newcomer, and her support came in handy when she had a fight with Rajesh. She would think Kaka is very proud. When she would ask for rehearsal, he would say ‘How many rehearsals?’ she was a newcomer and felt very bad and even said ‘How can he talk to her like that? She can ask for 10 rehearsals if she wanted.
We fought there, and Sharmila ji intervened and protected her and would speak in her defence.
Aradhana was a massive success; and ran in theatres for months. At the time, the cast of the film would get felicitated in every city where it had completed a 75-week run, and it was amidst this post-release tour that she and Kaka turned friends.
Recalling the effect of his stardom, Farida said that she would see women falling down at his feet and it would actually “disgust” her. She would see how people would go mad for him. Girls would fall at his feet. They would ask him to sign on their arm, face and she used to feel disgusted looking at that. He would proudly look at her and say ‘Dekha?’ she would think she worked with him but never felt this way, what is wrong with them?” she said and added, she has never seen this kind of stardom.
Aradhana made Rajesh Khanna a Super Star and Kishore Kumar a Super Singer.
Farida Jalal was recently seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi.
News Edit K.V.Raman
