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It’s been 42 years since Shaukeen (1982) was released…
My God, I feel like a relic.
What are your memories?
Basu Chatterjee’s style of filmmaking was so unique. It was like you are on a picnic. He had such a casual approach, always laughing. There is no stress. Everything was just with a smile. It was so lovely working with the three senior actors, Dada Muni (Ashok Kumar), AK Hangal Saab, and Utpal Da (Utpal Dutt). And my favorite, Mithun (Chakraborty), of course.
How did you react when Basu Da came to you with Shaukeen?
Basu Da approached my dad first. My dad was the one who always made decisions about which projects I should take on. He’d meet with the filmmakers, gauge the project’s potential, and if he thought it was a good fit, then I would get involved. Working with directors like Basu Chatterjee and Hrishikesh Mukherjee was a huge honor for any actor. Their unique styles, storytelling abilities, and the simplicity of their films set them apart. It was like comparing working with Manmohan Desai to working with Basu Da—each offered a fantastic experience in its own right.
And you have worked with all of them…
Yes, everybody. I would say I was a favorite of Bengali and Punjabi producers and directors and of course southerners. Because those were the three pockets where the majority of films that we were doing.
What attracted you to a subject?
Firstly, it was because of Basu Da and secondly it was because I wanted to work with these stalwarts, and it’s such a unique film. The whole thing where three guys go on a holiday, and each one has his own imagination and his own fantasies in his head. And then this young crooner and she’s got her own thing happening with Mithun. Apart from working with these stalwarts, it was also the simplicity and the free-flowing project that it was.
It was quite a forward-thinking premise of a film in the 80s. What do you think now?
Even today, I feel it is a very unique premise for a project, for a film script. I think it’s very unique. I think it’s very cute also. Unique and cute.
Any trivia or anecdotes from the set?
I recall when we were filming with Dada Muni. During breaks, he liked to share his knowledge of homeopathy. He would suggest remedies for various ailments, like if I had a breakout on my face, he’d recommend a specific homeopathic medicine. He even offered to send his driver to get it from Balaji, a shop on Princess Street. These little gestures showed his caring nature and attention to detail.
And then he would share anecdotes of his journey of his life. And it was so wonderful because you just know them as fantastic stalwarts of our industry. When you sit and talk to them, they’re so knowledgeable and very interesting. And the day just passes between shoot and passing time between the shoot and their little conversations. And you don’t feel there’s an age difference and there’s a many generations’ difference. You didn’t feel it at that time.
Mithun Chakraborty’s son Mimoh shares health update, says ‘Dad is 100% fine’
About Utpal Da and Hangal Saab?
Hangal Saab was the quietest of the lot. He was a gentleman. Utpal Da also was very interesting because he had this way of talking [imitates Utpal’s way of talking].
The coined words that Bengalis use are very interesting, profound, and beautiful formations. Very literate. It was always interesting working with him.
How was it working with Mithun Chakraborty?
I have done some 12-14 projects with Mithun. It’s very easy to work with him. He is never in a bad mood, never throws his weight around, and is always smiling. We did so much work together. So, it was like going from one set to the other set.
How did Mithun stand out among the heroes that you have worked with?
As a co-actor, I think he stood out because of his easy-breezy ways. He’s just in every which way, whether it’s his performances or whether he as a person, the easy-breezy vibe that he gives out. I think that would be it.
In those days, I collaborated on at least five projects with most of my leading men. Working together for extended periods, shooting outdoor scenes filled with songs and grand sequences, built a bond that made us feel like family. Unlike today’s distractions, there were no vanity vans separating us. We’d share accommodations in quaint lodges and resorts near shooting locations, fostering a sense of togetherness. Evenings were spent around bonfires, playing board games, enjoying music, and indulging in shared snacks like apples and sausages. Mithun, in his characteristic warmth, often treated us to delicious Bengali cuisine from his home, while I reciprocated with my Punjabi specialties. Those moments of camaraderie were as cherished as the work we did together.
Mithun was recently awarded with a Padmashri…
He should have got it long back. Because there can’t be another Mithun Chakraborty. He had his own style. He had his own charm, the most beautiful smile.
And he never complained. He was never grumpy. He was never short-tempered. He was just easy-breezy. Mithun means easy-breezy.
Fortunately, I worked with actors who were always in a great mood, and there were no moody tantrums or something on set. I am not talking only about my main heroes or co-stars, but all actors, even the character actors, and all actors on set. Our times were different. There was no stress. Today, there’s so much competition. We were a bunch of 5-6 girls. We were all friends with each other because we all had ample work. When we meet, we still have that warmth towards each other. Same with the heroes, the same with the characters or the directors. Our units were smaller and more personalized. We remember everything.
For us, it was a family. When we were outdoors, you never had to worry because it was a family. If anybody got sick, everybody was there to look into it and help. You cry together, you laugh together, and you work together.
Tell us more about Shaukeens.
Shaukeen was great because of all the songs and the locations. The problem with these films which have made such a mark is that it’s very difficult to replicate them. Because the beauty and the charm of the old world work for the film. That simplicity, because the mindset of people was simple. So when Data Muni is getting ready and he sees that girl, he gets down from his apartment complex, and he’s fantasizing and this and that, because that is the simplicity of those times. Today, everybody is wearing minimal clothes. So, what is left to the imagination? Nothing. There, she was in a full sari, and her pallu just slipped a little. And that was enough to titillate the old man.
That was the generation. Who fantasizes today? I wonder if anybody could fantasize about everything so there in your face, nothing left for imagination.
So, if I had to have this conversation with my son, who’s 37 now. And he would say, Mom, you’re a relic. And his children will say something else to him. So, it’s the time, the generation. Right now, there’s nothing left. In fact, it’s sad because we lived in better times. All these little things made relationships also even more charming. And now, I don’t know. I’m the wrong person to ask because I’m a little old-fashioned.
