Birthday Special: Saawan Kumar Tak told that Rajesh Khanna was hesitant about having a co-wife

Did you know that, super-star Rajesh Khanna was initially hesitant and skeptical about the 1983 film-title 'Sautan' (which later emerged as a Silver Jubilee super-hit)! Producer-director Saawan Kumar Tak of 'Sautan' revealed, “This is because Kaka-ji (Rajesh Khanna) judged that the title 'Sautan' sounded quite negative and might possibly turn away women and family audiences.

But I was confident and adamant, Dimple Kapadia also insisted that it was a great title! When the whimsical musical film 'Sautan' with an emotional undercurrent which also highlighted socio-cultural-ethnic values ​​was released, it received an overwhelmingly positive response from both female and family audiences, super-actor Kaka ji praised my box office a lot, recalls Bollywood's legendary 'showman' filmmaker-lyricist-star-mentor Saawan Kumar Tak who celebrated his 85th birthday (August 9) at home with close relatives and well-wishers a few days ago.

Tak, known for his few but witty repartees, says, “Actually I feel, I am only '58 years young' and still have my creative-active zeal. Senior age can also be a reversible number” he smiles. It was truly a 'Chai-pe-bulaya-hai' situation when my good friend Ashwin Thakkar (former manager-secretary of Rajesh Khanna) and I had a special chat-session evening 'Chai pee thi with Sawan-ji' at his sprawling Juhu residence. When asked, why did he have this fixation for 'sautan' or 'bewafa' in the titles of so many films like 'Sautan Ki Beti' and 'Sanam Bewafa', the outspoken Sawan justified.

“The bold tags ‘Sautan’ and ‘Bewafaa’ have ‘anti-heroine’ negative shades which are impressive and impactful. It always proves to be a curiosity pump for the audience. In fact, I also made a daring film ‘Khalnayika’ (1993) in which Anu Agarwal gave a wickedly captivating screen performance as a vengeful, woman, defying her ‘Aashiqui’ lover-girl image,” claims the prodigious lyricist Saavan who confesses that ‘ishq’ has mostly been his off-screen inspiration. “By nature, I am impulsive and spontaneous and I get mental flashes of creative lightning.

This is how I was able to understand the visuals and write simple-inspiring lyrics of many evergreen songs like ‘Zindagi Pyar Ka Geet Hai, Ise Har Dil Ko Gana Padega- Zindagi Gham Ka Sagar Bhi Hai, Hans Ke Us Paar Jana Padega’. Or the unique situational song “Isee Liye, Mummy Ne Meri, Tumhe Chaaye Pe Bulaaye Hai”. Of course, abundant credit also goes to Usha Khanna ji for composing the catchy, melodious tunes,” informs Sawan ji who made her directorial debut with ‘Gomti Ke Kinare’ (1972) in which she directed the great icon Meena Kumari!

“I learned so much working with such a humble actress-poetess Meena Kumari-ji there. It was because of her, that I laid a solid foundation for my career,” enthuses Sawan-ji, who was the first Bollywood director to showcase Mauritius’ breathtaking blue-green waters and exotic overseas locations in his film ‘Sautan’.

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