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Veteran filmmaker Mehul Kumar, who has extensively worked with veteran actor Raaj Kumar in films like Marte Dam Tak and Tirangaa, recently recalled a very unique anecdote from his experience of working with Raaj Kumar. In a recent interview, the filmmaker recalled a time when he had to shoot the funeral procession of Raaj Kumar for his film Marte Dam Tak (1987). He shared his conversation with the veteran actor, which he only understood when the actor died in 1996.
In an interview with Friday Talkies, Mehul Kumar, who was asked to share stories about Raaj Kumar, said, “There is one story that I will always remember of him. It was around the time when we were shooting for the 1987 film Marte Dam Tak, there was a scene of Raaj Kumar dying after being shot. We were shooting in Khandala. We shot his funeral procession with about 500 junior artistes. And Raaj Kumar was made to lie down on a decorated tempo. I was standing just besides him, so he told me, ‘Mehul come up’. I went there. There was this man who had to put the last garland on Raaj Kumar in the scene, but Raaj sahab wanted me to put that garland on him. He said, ‘When I will die for real, you won’t get this opportunity.’ I was like ‘Raaj ji why are you saying this? May god bless you with a long life.’ He started to laugh. I put the garland on him.”
He added, “Though I didn’t understand it then. This scene hit me when Raaj Kumar died. I was shooting for the 1997 film Mrityudaata with Amitabh Bachchan when I received a call from Raaj sahab’s house that he is no more. I asked about his funeral procession, and I was told, ‘No, all of that is done. He had just given certain names before passing away with the instruction that just call these people home post my death. One of the many names was of yours, so we called.’ I informed Amitabh who was also on set with me. I told him the situation and said, ‘I will have to leave.’ So Amitji was like should I accompany you, I told him, ‘only select people have been asked to come and you didn’t get the call…’”.
“Finally, when I reached his home, and had a word with Raaj Kumar’s wife, I was told that his last statement was, ‘In film line, funeral procession is just a show off and people will come to see you in white outfits and black glasses, and the television people will click their photos. They won’t care for the one who has died.’ So he had asked his family to not have a funeral procession and to only invite close friends and family for his funeral. It was then it hit me what Raaj sahab meant by ‘You won’t get this opportunity when I am dead’”, concluded Mehul Kumar.
Mehul Kumar and Raaj Kumar worked in the 1987 film Marte Dam Tak and the 1993 film Tirangaa. The latter was a hit at the box office. Raaj Kumar, who was initially a police office in Mumbai, made his acting debut with the 1952 film Rangeeli. In his career spanning over four decades, the actor starred in over 70 films and was regarded as one of the most successful actors of Indian cinema. He breathed his last on 3 July 1996 at the age of 69. He was suffering from throat cancer.
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