Veteran actor Shekhar Suman spoke about the films that defined his career, his lifelong love for his 1984 debut film ‘Utsav’, and what it felt like to work alongside Rekha and Shashi Kapoor as a complete newcomer. He also thought about fate, nepotism and why ‘Utsav’ deserves a second life on the big screen.
Shekhar Suman wants ‘Utsav’ i back.
In a conversation with India Today, Shekhar Suman traced his journey through some of his memorable characters, highlighting the scope that each role requires. “My first film, ‘Utsav’, was completely different from where I am now, and that character was completely different.With re-releases becoming a trend in Bollywood, Soman believes the Shashi Kapoor-produced classic is ideally placed for a comeback. “Aaj hai launch hoon chahiya (should be re-released today),” he said.
He was very ahead of his time. Today, I think people would have really appreciated it, the kind of music, the costumes, the cinematography, the atmosphere of the panaya tha mahal (the palace that was built), which was so beautiful.
Very beautiful. Rekha looked like a billion dollars.”He also revealed a lesser-known fact about the film: “It was shot in two versions, in English and Hindi. Where did the English version disappear? No one knows. It was not released in English.”
But as you know, these films are very rare.”
Shekhar Suman talks about his Utsav Rekha co-star
In the same conversation, Suman recalled the amount of expectations on his first day of shooting. “I remember the first shot, the first day of shooting, and I said to myself: ‘There is a lot going on in my head, and Shashi Kapoor has bet a lot on me.’ I hoped not to let him down; it was driving me crazy at the time. But thanks to my theatrical background, I managed to hold on.”The reassurance, when it came, was unforgettable. “I remember Rekha ji complimenting me a lot, Girish Karnad, Shashi Kapoor saying, ‘It’s very well done, you’re a great actor,’ and all of that stayed with me,” he said.Before starring alongside Rekha, Suman once stood in a crowd to watch her shoot. “I remember I came to Bombay once, and I was taken to a shooting location. She was shooting with Hans sir.
Shatrughan Sinha
And I was standing in the crowd, looking at her like this. I was like, “Oh my God, this is Rekha, this is amazing.” “I didn’t know that I would be working with her three or four years later.”Regarding working with her, he said: “I was completely fascinated by her.
She wasn’t afraid, but yeah, definitely in awe of her. She is very loyal and a strong performer. “When you’re in a scene, you feel like the character has come to life.”
Shekhar Kapoor tackles nepotism
Suman credited Shashi Kapoor’s belief in the new talent as a turning point in his life. He said, “And it was thanks to people like Shashi Kapoor, who is a great producer, who believed in a newcomer like me. They talk about nepotism – imagine, he just picked me out of nowhere. In about two weeks, I had just come to Bombay, and two months later, I was shooting with him. It is inconceivable that a newcomer could come and get such a role.”
But this is fate.”
More about Shekhar Suman
On the work front, Shekhar Suman was recently seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film ‘Heeramandi’. He will next be seen in Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘King’, Prakash Raj’s ‘Jan Aadesh’ and ‘Reporting Life’.
