Child star Master Raju, a sought-after performer in the 1970s, shared a humorous anecdote from the 1975 film Faraar. He recalled how Amitabh Bachchan acknowledged for his punctuality, would often wait for him due to Raju’s packed schedule. The young actor’s scenes were prioritized, with Bachchan patiently stepping aside until Raju’s work was completed.
Raju Shrestha, popularly recognised as Master Raju, ranked among the most sought-after child actors of the 1970s. In retrospect at that remarkable chapter of his life amidst a recent media interaction Raju shared an interesting memory from the making of the 1975 film Faraar. At that time around he was juggling numerous projects, which made his schedule far more packed than many senior actors. He recalled that amidst the shoot, Amitabh Bachchan would arrive promptly on set, yet often had to wait because the young Raju’s scenes were given priority due to his tight timetable.
Raju went on to explain that Amitji was known for his discipline and punctuality. In those days, however, the legendary actor did not have as many assignments lined up as the child star did. This reversal of expectations amused Raju even years later. Whenever Bachchan reached the location on time, the crew would first film his close-up shots. But once Raju arrived, the production team would shift focus to wrap up the child actor’s portions quickly, as he had limited hours available before heading to another commitment. Amidst that era, Amitji would patiently step aside while Raju’s scenes were wrapped up. Only after the youngster finished his work would the unit resume filming Amitji’s remaining shots.
Born Fahim Ajani on August 15, 1966, Raju adopted the screen name Master Raju and built a thriving career in cinema and television from a very young age. He featured in several acclaimed films across the decade, including Gulzar’s Parichay, Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Bawarchi reYash Chopra’s Daag Basu Chatterjee’s Chitchor and Gulzar’s Kitaab.
Over the course of his career, he appeared in nearly 200 films along with a handful of television projects. His performance in Chitchor won him the National Film Award for Best Child Artist, cementing his reputation as one of the most talented young actors of his generation.
News Edit KV Raman
