EP-452 | Biswajit Chatterjee on Kishore Kumar, Rekha, Dharmendra, Raaj Kumar & Bollywood’s Golden Era

ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash

In this episode of the ANI Podcast, veteran actor Biswajit Chatterjee reflects on his seven-decade career in the Indian film industry. He di

Key takeaways

• Biswajit Chatterjee is producing a new Hindi film titled 'Agni Yug' which features Dharmendra in a significant role.
• The actor highlights the importance of linguistic pride, stating that respecting one's mother tongue is a way to respect one's country.

Main topics

• Bollywood Golden Era
• Career Retrospective

Notable quotes

If you want to respect the country, then first respect your language.

Conclusion

A nostalgic journey through the history of Indian cinema through the e

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) Namaste, Jai Hind. You're watching or listening to another edition of the N.I. Podcast with Smita Prakash. This episode is being filmed in Mumbai and my guest today is yesteryear's actor Biswajit Chatterjee. He's a man who has spent seven decades in the Bombay film industry. At 89 years of age, I sat with him to look back on his career, his life and loves. In the 60s, Biswajit Chatterjee embodied romance. With his effortless charm, trademark smile and unforgettable songs, he became one of the defining leading men of the 1960s, starring in classics like 20 Saal Baad, Kohra, Mere Sanam, Night in London, April Fool and Kismat. Whether it was Bekaraar Karke Humein You Na Jaiye, Pukaarta Chala Hu Main, Aap You Hee Agar Humse Milte Rahe or Kajra Mohabbat Wala, his films gave Hindi cinema some of its most enduring melodies. This episode is powered by easemytrip.com Mr. Chatterjee, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. I deeply appreciate it. And it's wonderful to see, of course, your sartorial style. The way you've dressed, I am absolutely honoured that you dress so lovely. Always been well dressed. Always. From the very beginning. And yes, of course, your films, everybody remembers that. But other than that, you took the trouble and you've come. And it's amazing that... It's not trouble at all. You like it? No, no. It's a part of our profession. Right. Like if you have to go for a shoot, you have to go on time. So we Speaker 2 (1:36) give time for the media. Speaker 1 (1:38) Yes, absolutely. This is also equal. You came on time. From the very beginning. You're punctual. I'm punctual. I watch Speaker 2 (1:45) the clock. Speaker 1 (1:46) Nice. It's amazing. It's something that the younger generation should imbibe and learn. Time is most important in life. Correct. Time and commitment. Speaker 2 (1:56) These two things are very, very important. Speaker 1 (1:59) And just before we started rolling, you told me an amazing story, which I want you to tell our audience also, that you at 89 are going to be coming out with your movie. And let me... hand the floor over to you and explain to me what the film is about. Speaker 2 (2:19) I am making a Hindi film. Speaker 1 (2:22) So Speaker 2 (2:22) there are many things in Hindi. If I explain it to you in Hindi, you will understand. In our film too, there is this thing. There Speaker 1 (2:32) is a Speaker 2 (2:32) place where Speaker 1 (2:33) if Speaker 2 (2:34) you want to respect the country, then first respect your language. This is the dialogue in our film. Speaker 2 (2:41) Learn to respect your mother tongue. Respect your own language. This is a way to respect your country. Any German or Russian, if you go, they will speak in their language. Speaker 1 (2:58) If Speaker 2 (2:58) you need, you can keep an interpreter. Speaker 2 (3:01) Now the English will not speak our Speaker 1 (3:04) language, nor Speaker 2 (3:05) will Speaker 1 (3:05) the Speaker 2 (3:05) Germans, Russians, Chinese, Speaker 1 (3:08) none of them. Speaker 2 (3:10) So what happens is that the awareness and attachment to your language should increase your language. So Speaker 1 (3:20) in your film, you have called it Agni Yug. Agni Yug the Fire. Agni Yug the Fire. This is the name of your film. Speaker 1 (3:29) And you said that another big revelation that it is the last film of the famous actor Dharmendra. Yes. So please tell me about that. Speaker 2 (3:41) Even the one who was buried in his house after his death. My permission counts as he was buried Speaker 1 (3:47) in Speaker 2 (3:47) his house. So this is my father's son Hari Amar. He came and started crying. I said, son, recognize him. He said, yes, he is Dadu. Dadu was the same pose as Speaker 1 (4:03) Dharmendra, Speaker 2 (4:03) right? Speaker 1 (4:04) He Speaker 2 (4:04) was wearing a saba and a band. He was the son of Lala Raj. I said, what is this? He said, this is my film. Your Dadu's last film. I said, no, no, no. 21? Yeah. 21. It was about to be released in 31st December. Speaker 1 (4:21) That was promoted as its last film. Bobby Speaker 2 (4:23) was standing there. Bobby came and said, yes son, this is the last film of Dadu. Because when Biswajit uncle came to tell the story to papa, I was standing outside. So when Biswajit uncle came out, I was standing there. Speaker 1 (4:41) So Speaker 2 (4:42) I had a talk with him. So he Speaker 1 (4:45) knows about it. So what is his role in the film? Speaker 2 (4:49) Dharmendra? His role is Lala Rajpat Rao. You must be knowing. Everybody knows Speaker 1 (4:56) about him. I know Speaker 2 (4:58) but I want you to tell. He is in love. He said no, no, no. I don't want to do the film. So Dharmendra is very close to me. From the beginning. Because we both came into the industry together. I mean Manoj and Dharm. Almost. Speaker 2 (5:15) We became good friends. We did 5-6 movies with Dharm. Speaker 1 (5:20) But for any Punjabi to do the role of Lala Lajpat Rai is a dream role. Speaker 2 (5:26) Must be. Speaker 1 (5:27) Yes. Must be. Especially his generation. But he said, Speaker 2 (5:33) I don't do work now. I will not Speaker 1 (5:36) do Speaker 2 (5:36) work. He doesn't know what Speaker 1 (5:37) he will Speaker 2 (5:38) do. He has come Speaker 1 (5:39) for Speaker 2 (5:39) some role. Speaker 2 (5:42) I said, no, I wrote this thinking of you. You have written this in your mind. So he Speaker 1 (5:54) said, Speaker 2 (5:55) what do you mean? I said, you are a patriot. You are a great patriot. This is the Punjab's Srilal Lajpat Rai. Speaker 1 (6:06) He said, what? Speaker 2 (6:07) I said, yes. Speaker 2 (6:10) I thought I won't do it. He asked me who will do it and I said I will go to Speaker 1 (6:17) him. Speaker 2 (6:18) He thought for a long time. Speaker 1 (6:20) He Speaker 2 (6:21) said yes done. I am doing it. We did it in the same area. Speaker 1 (6:30) Because Speaker 2 (6:30) he was Speaker 1 (6:31) not well. He Speaker 2 (6:32) was not well but. The work he did in the shooting, nobody will believe that he was not there. With that enthusiasm, the baton being charged, the Britishers charging the baton, and he was the target. The whole process was being led by him. Speaker 1 (6:53) In Speaker 2 (6:54) Lahore? Yes, in Lahore. Speaker 1 (6:58) So you created Lahore in that area? Speaker 2 (7:04) Lahore Speaker 1 (7:04) Central Jail. In front of that. And then when the stick... Did you shoot the rest too? No, when the stick hits his head. That scene. Speaker 2 (7:15) It's not real. It's a film. But it can Speaker 1 (7:19) be Speaker 2 (7:19) used somewhere. I don't want to take that chance. My duplicate was there. Speaker 2 (7:27) He said no. I was in the role of Punjab Kesari. He was like that. He said he didn't want any duplicate. He would do it himself. He charged us too. He charged everyone. Speaker 1 (7:47) Even that guy. Speaker 2 (7:48) A real jut. That Speaker 1 (7:51) blow that killed Lala Lajpat Rai. In the sense, Lala ji stayed alive for one week after that. And then he passed away. And it turned the tide. So you show that in your films? Speaker 2 (8:05) No, the one where the children have to do this in the assembly. And Lala Rajbhar Rai, the one where the ladies are raised. Speaker 1 (8:15) We showed that. Speaker 2 (8:17) For the ladies, he did a lot. Speaker 1 (8:20) A lot of social Speaker 2 (8:21) work, a lot of Speaker 1 (8:23) things. And I Speaker 2 (8:24) don't know whether you know it or not, we got it from research. He is the founder of PNB, Punjab National Speaker 1 (8:30) Bank. He started. Yes. Speaker 2 (8:33) So he did a lot. Speaker 1 (8:36) But Speaker 2 (8:36) I can't show you the whole thing. This is not a Lala Laj. It's a story of other martyrs also. What Speaker 1 (8:45) was your inspiration? I mean at 89 you still want to make and you still want to create. You still want to be part of the film industry. So what inspired you to make a film on freedom fighters? This was Speaker 2 (8:58) my dream. Speaker 2 (9:01) What I thought, I think I have done the value of entertainment. I have competed. Speaker 1 (9:10) There is no Speaker 2 (9:11) role that I have not done. I have worked in suspense movies, musicals, James Bond action movies. What I have not done? I did a goal for the women's Speaker 1 (9:30) team. Speaker 2 (9:31) Even the ladies' team. I introduced. Yes, the one with the Kajra Speaker 1 (9:34) Mohabbat. Speaker 2 (9:35) I introduced. Nobody dared to do a goal for the ladies' team. Speaker 1 (9:41) You were so pretty. Even as a man, you were so pretty. Speaker 2 (9:44) I did it. Our producer started saying, the rest of the people have run away. It was a film by Manmohan Dossai, Kismat. I remember. Speaker 2 (9:57) I danced with Babita, Kajra Mohabbat Wala, very popular song Speaker 1 (10:01) Babita Babita Speaker 2 (10:04) became a Pathan and I became a lady, I danced Speaker 1 (10:12) in Speaker 2 (10:13) the drama Speaker 1 (10:15) Didn't anyone tell you not to do it? I'll Speaker 2 (10:19) tell you more. I also played the role of Ram in Mythology. That movie was a super duper hit at that time. Speaker 1 (10:29) The Speaker 2 (10:29) name of the film was Bajrangbali. Dara ji played Bajrangbali. He played Bajrangbali. Speaker 1 (10:37) I Speaker 2 (10:37) played Ram. Mausumi Chatterjee played Sita. Speaker 1 (10:41) And Speaker 2 (10:42) Premnath played Ravan. That movie created box office. Super duper. Speaker 1 (10:49) At Speaker 2 (10:50) that time. So even at that time when I came for Ram, all the producers whom I was doing social film with, all ran after me. We will die. You will become these people, Kapoor, Sahoo Morduk. I said no, Ramji himself came and I will work. Speaker 2 (11:11) I was never scared of work. Speaker 1 (11:15) Because Speaker 2 (11:16) I am a stage actor. Speaker 1 (11:17) I Speaker 2 (11:18) was born on stage. I was born on stage. I played all Speaker 1 (11:23) sorts of roles on stage. In Bengal? In Bengal. Speaker 2 (11:25) Rangmal theatre. So, I was never scared of any role. Speaker 1 (11:30) Who told you Speaker 2 (11:31) to Speaker 1 (11:31) come to Mumbai from Bengal? Was it something you wanted to do? Speaker 2 (11:37) When I was playing... on stage, Bengal stage, Speaker 1 (11:41) in Speaker 2 (11:41) Rangmal theatre I was doing Sahebigar Ghulam. Speaker 1 (11:47) Okay. Speaker 2 (11:48) Sahebigar Ghulam I was doing. It was a theatre Speaker 1 (11:50) production. Speaker 2 (11:51) At that time I suddenly saw in front of me a very famous person. Guru Dutt. Guru Dutt. Guru Dutt along with Geeta Dutt. Speaker 1 (12:05) And Speaker 2 (12:06) Abraha Dalvi, writer of Speaker 1 (12:08) Sahebigar Ghulam. Speaker 2 (12:10) And next to him is Bimal Mitra, who is a writer, he invited me. Speaker 1 (12:17) And he Speaker 2 (12:18) was searching for Bhutnath, the hero's role. And after the show he came to me and said, Abhishek, I am inviting you for dinner. Speaker 1 (12:30) We Speaker 2 (12:30) were staying at the Grand Hotel. I said, yes, for dinner. There he told me that I have chosen you as my Bhutnath. Speaker 2 (12:41) You have to come to Bombay. Then his distributor was there. He said he didn't have three days in a week. So in between, you will go to Bombay for three days. So Mr. Ladia, I remember, Sochi Ladia, Ladia Films distributor, his distributor was in Bengal. So he brought me to Bombay. Speaker 1 (13:05) So your parents were okay with it? Your father was... Not at all. Speaker 2 (13:10) I was fired from home before that. You were Speaker 1 (13:12) fired Speaker 2 (13:12) from Speaker 1 (13:12) home? Speaker 2 (13:13) Yes, very early. Because you were in Speaker 1 (13:15) theatre? Speaker 2 (13:15) I became a struggler. I didn't like anyone in our house. They said acting at that time was socially unacceptable. Unacceptable means gone. Going to the movies means going to the red light area. It was like that. Speaker 1 (13:41) acting, then singing, I didn't like all that. This was early late 50s, early 60s? 50s, mid 50s. I started my career in 1958 in Speaker 2 (13:57) Bengali movie. Speaker 2 (14:01) Small roles like an extra you can say. We used to call them extra. But Speaker 1 (14:06) Saheb Bibi aur Gulam such beautiful songs. I could not do it. The story is that we came. It would have been a fabulous Speaker 2 (14:17) break. No, Bisalbagh was also a fabulous break after that. I am telling you a story. What happened? I came to Gurudwara's studio. So Gurudwara was with me. Speaker 2 (14:32) He started speaking in Bengali. I asked him, how do you know Bengali? How can you speak so fluently? He said, I was with Udai Shankar at Almora. I used to teach dance at Almora. Speaker 1 (14:46) And Speaker 2 (14:47) my guru was Gyan Mukherjee. So I saw Gyan Mukherjee's photographs on Speaker 1 (14:54) the seat of the guru. Speaker 2 (14:55) He Speaker 1 (14:55) knew Speaker 2 (14:55) Bengali culture and language. Speaker 2 (15:01) So I thought he was Bengali. But you know I am Konkoni. Death happens in Bengali too. Then I met everyone. My Bhutnath. Then Vahida came. Then B.K. Murthy was a famous cameraman. Speaker 1 (15:23) He Speaker 2 (15:23) met Speaker 1 (15:24) everyone in Speaker 2 (15:24) the studio. Atma Ram, his younger brother. Speaker 1 (15:29) So he Speaker 2 (15:30) selected me as. But I could not do it. This is my fate. Speaker 1 (15:37) When Speaker 2 (15:37) I went back Speaker 1 (15:38) to Speaker 2 (15:38) Kolkata, the agreement was that I would have to sign an exclusive contract for five years. Except for Gurudwara's films, I would not do any work outside. And that was my, you know, the beginning. So I had to say no to him. Speaker 1 (15:52) But it would have been fabulous. But you acted with him later? Speaker 2 (15:56) No. Speaker 1 (15:56) No? Never? Speaker 2 (15:59) We actually agreed that I will not work outside except for Speaker 1 (16:02) Gurga's films. So you never acted in his film after that? Speaker 2 (16:07) But we had a very good relation. Speaker 1 (16:10) So which was your first film? Speaker 2 (16:12) Then again I came back and started working on stage. Sadhvi Gargula. So one day, Hemant Kumar, famous singer, Speaker 1 (16:24) he Speaker 2 (16:26) came and he called me backstage. I told him that I am making a movie after 20 years. So I have chosen you as my hero. But you have to leave the stage. At Speaker 1 (16:44) that Speaker 2 (16:44) time, to see Vishwajit, there was a house tour in Calcutta. Bengali film was hit in my film. Speaker 2 (16:58) I joined hands with some people and said that the theatre owners were very good. Speaker 1 (17:04) They Speaker 2 (17:05) said that we will be in loss but you go to Bombay. You become a star because we will be known as a theatre. There were people like that. But Speaker 1 (17:14) you could speak Hindi? Yeah, yeah. Not a problem. Because my dad, he was in army. Speaker 2 (17:22) Doctor in army. He went to the Second World War. I went to Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Kanpur, Lucknow. You Speaker 1 (17:35) studied Speaker 2 (17:35) in Speaker 1 (17:35) the cantonments. Speaker 2 (17:37) Yes, because it was the army's job. It took 6-4 months. I used Speaker 1 (17:41) to go with my dad. Speaker 2 (17:42) So, language was like my... Not like Speaker 1 (17:46) Bengali. So, my language was... Hindustani. Speaker 2 (17:50) I had no problem with that. Speaker 1 (17:51) So, you came for 20 years later. Yes, Speaker 2 (17:53) 20 Speaker 1 (17:54) years. and