Remembering Rajesh Khanna

Says Kolkata-based actor Sumita Sanyal, who played Rajesh Khannas sister in Anand Professional actors don’t get unnerved when shooting death scenes. But Rajeshj’s death scene in Anand was different. It was a one-take okay and even after the shot was over, everyone remained sombre. Suddenly, I heard him giggle and say he was feeling ticklish with the way Sumitajis hands ran down his chest in the scene. The moment he said this, we all burst out laughing.

Incidentally, Hrishkesh Mukherjee had wanted to make Anand in Bengali Hrishida wanted to cast Uttamda, Raj Kapoor and me in the Bengali film that was titled Ananda Sambad. But the Hindi Anand turned out so well that we said it was best not to try any Bengali version of it recalls Sanyal, who has done 70 films in Hindi and Bangla.

Sanyal has fond memories of attending the premiere of Anand in Mumbai since nothing had been organized in Kolkata. The superstar had come down to Kolkata for a premiere of Chetan Anands Akhri Khath in 1967 and again for the premiere of Aradhana in 1969. He never behaved like a superstar with us even though he was at the peak of his career, Sanyal recalls.