Tribute To Kader Khan “There Is No Respect Now When You Set Out To Produce A Tv Serial”

Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan passed away due to prolonged illness at the age of 81 yesterday on December 31 in a hospital in Canada and his son Sarfaraz Khan confirmed that his last rites will be conducted in the country. Born in Kabul, Khan made his acting debut way back in 1973 with Rajesh Khanna’s “Daag” and has featured till date in over 300 films and also a few TV serials including Mr Dansukh which he himself had produced and acted. To pay tribute to him, we at bollyy.com reproduce a rare interview with the late actor taken eight years ago by JYOTHI VENKATESH in the distant suburbs of Mumbai where he was shooting for the serial Hi Padosi Kaun Hai Doshi. May Allah rest his soul in peace.

He has played every possible part in films till date, whether it is that of a hard core villain or a patriarch or for that matter a funny comedian, especially when he was teamed with Shakti Kapoor in many a Hindi film churned out by South Indian banners and people today remember the thespian Kader Khan as a living legend today as far as Hindi films are concerned. I caught up with the talented actor, who has staged a comeback in TV with the daily comedy Serial Hi! Padosi… Kaun Hai Doshi, after his tryst as a producer-actor with the serial Mr Dhansukh, on air on Doordarshan a decade ago.

I rush to the far-flung Samvaad Studio at 16D, Kashimira Industrial Estate situated on the Western Express highway Road, behind Kashi Mira Police Station, Mira Road East, on the outskirts of Mumbai to interview Kader Khan, who has returned to the small screen after a long hiatus with the daily comedy Serial Hi! Padosi… Kaun Hai Doshi on Sahara One, being directed by director Sunil Prasad, though I had not confirmed my appointment for the interview with the actor, since the p.r guy Ajinkya of Sahara One asks me to catch up with Kaderbhai before he shuts shop by 5.30 pm, as his health does not permit him to shoot beyond that time.

I barge in and ask Kaderbhai for the interview considering the fact that I have known the actor, who is tough from outside but very soft from inside, for decades. I am in for a shock, because though Kaderbhai greets me warmly, he suggests that I do his interview at his office at Vakola after three days , since he is tired of mouthing long winding dialogues for the serial since the morning and confesses that his mouth is aching a lot and is not in a frame of mind to talk. I decide to lie low and exchange pleasantries with the moody actor, who thaws when he realizes that I want to catch up with him since the deadline is hovering around me.

What is the daily comedy Serial Hi! Padosi… Kaun Hai Doshi all about?

It’s all about an interesting story of two neighbors with living on the same floor. There is a comedy of errors since both neighbors have similar names and that creates comical situations. One is Gujarati Hasmukh Lal Mehta, who is an advocate, played by Muni Jha and another one is Harvansh Lal Mehta from Punjab, who is a doctor by profession, played by Govind Khatri. As the name plates of both carry the same initials i.e. H.L. Mehta, it creates confusion and the compounded confusion leads to unique situations laced with lots of laughter.

Go on!

The Punjabi family has Govind Khatri, Nilu Kohli and Giriraj Kabra and the Gujarati family consists of Muni Jha, his real wife Sejal Shah and Sanjeeda Sheikh. The plot where the building is now standing once happened to be my own tabela (buffalo shed). I am supposed to be ‘dead and gone’ but am visiting the place where at one time my tabela was situated, as a ghost and no one is able to see me except Sanjeeda, who I consider my granddaughter, though she is not at all related to me.

How would you describe yourself as an actor?

I am actually a switch on switch off actor, who can easily switch off from acting to writing to even lecturing on Islam at Universities. I was away from acting for almost eight years. I spent time in teaching Islam in various Universities in Dubai, Canada and United Kingdom. I should confess that I was indeed missing facing the arc lights and acting. Writer Naeem is an old friend. When he approached and told me that he had written the serial and wanted me to act in it in a different role as a friendly ghost, I could not say No, especially after he narrated the subject to me, which appealed to me instantly.

What is your role in the serial?

I play the role of a ghost called Ram Bharose, while Sanjeeda Sheikh is playing the character of Sejal in the serial. It is interesting to note that though none in the building is able to see Ram Bharose, only Sanjeeda is able to see him. The character of the poor young girl played by Sanjeeda does not know that I am a ghost and I also do not have the heart to reveal to her the fact that I am a ghost.

What made you say yes to the offer to stage your comeback with the serial?

I confess that yet another reason I was drawn to say yes to the serial was the fact that Naeem, who is an old colleague of mine who has worked with me in quite a few films, had told me that it was Sahara One which was going to air the show. I like the way the channel Sahara One works. I remember they had even organized an award for sportspersons in Dubai. Whereas most of the channels these days believe in only making money, I like the channel Sahara One which even had the guts to go all the way out to honor sportsmen who have otherwise not been honored, whereas most of the other channels these days only bother to go in for mega stars in order to increase their dwindling TRPs. I liked the approach of the channel because like the channel, even I am of the opinion that life without social service is not really life.

Is it true that you insist on getting your dialogues in Urdu and not Hindi?

I have always liked to be handed over my dialogues in Urdu. There were very few actors who used to insist on being provided with their dialogues written in Urdu. Like Raaj Kumar, Dilip Kumar etc besides me and Dharmendra. I learnt Urdu from my professor S.S. Daznavi, who was actually my Principal as well as an Urdu scholar, who had even taught talaffuz to Dilip Kumarsaab.

Do you think that acting on TV is tougher when you compare with acting in films?

I confess that though people had warned me that acting on TV is quiet tough when compared to acting in films, I was game for acting in serials too, after I came back from my exile from acting. It is equally tough whether it is acting in films or for that acting in TV serials. If you know your craft and have the inclination to do what you want to do, then nothing is tough, whether it is acting on TV or for that matter films. The trouble arises only when you are glamour-struck, because it will spell a big ‘finis’ to you career as an actor, whether you like it or not.

Would you like to produce a TV serial once again?

Though I had produced the serial Mr Dhansukh on air on Doordarshan, which revolved around a guy who was running after money, till he transforms when he meets a particular character in life, I did not want to dabble in production once again with any serial because I feel that when you dabble in production of a TV serial for a channel , you have got to go through thousands of hassles. I also realized that when you there is no respect for you when you set out to make a serial, why should you lose your own self respect for the sake of money and hence decided not to dabble in production of TV serials.

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Are you considering offers to act in Hindi films too, besides the TV serial?

I am right now also acting the Bhojpuri version of Don starring Ravi Kissen in the role that Shah Rukh Khan had essayed in the remake of the Hindi Amitabh Bachchan starrer Don. I confess that I am indeed getting some offers to act in films in Hindi but feel that since I am suffering from pain in my foot, I feel that I should be really on my feet till I am able to zero in on any particular films as an actor. My head also should be on my shoulders. I had a really harrowing time for sometime in the last nine months when my wife had a stroke and my sister in law, who I used to treat like my own daughter, passed away. I was not at all inclined to come back to acting but I decided to face the cameras once again, because I really started missing all my old friends and colleagues. Aaj kal mahoul badal gaya hai, whether it is films or that matter TV shows.