Shekhar Suman has gone down memory lane, revisiting the extraordinary series of events that led to his mega-hit Utsav – a film that not only reunited him with Rekha but also cemented his lifelong gratitude towards Shashi Kapoor.In a recent conversation, Soman described his journey as something “written in a script,” insisting that fate had already charted his path long before he realised.
“Life is like a text, don’t try to open the pages”
Speaking about fate, Suman told Red FM: “Life is like a script. As you go through life, you open one page after another. But God’s strict advice is – don’t try to open the pages. Because first of all, it will never end and if you do, you are going against nature.”He added that even attempts to predict the future are useless.
“People ask astrologers what will happen. Nothing, only what God destined will happen. It is already written.”
The beginning: a torn suit, 100 rupees and a lost car
Long before Utsav, Suman was a theater actor in Delhi when he was spotted by late actress Shammi while appearing in the film Pighalta Aasman. He was offered Rs 1,000, of which Rs 100 was the signature amount, an amount he remembers clearly.But what followed was a lesson in patience. “They told me a car would come in three days. I waited with my only suit, which was torn in the back because I fell off a motorcycle.
“I patched it up because I couldn’t afford a new one,” he recalls.The car never came, until it suddenly showed up days later. “I lost hope, and thought the people of Bombay were making big promises. Then one day an ambassador arrived and summoned me.”
The turning point: meeting Shashi Kapoor
Suman’s life changed when he arrived in Mumbai and met Shashi Kapoor on the sets. What started as a casual interaction quickly turned into an unimaginable opportunity.“He told me about the film he was making – Utsav. Rekha was the heroine.
Then suddenly he asked me: Will you play the hero? “I literally fell out of my chair,” Soman said.However, the role came with a condition – he had to pass a screen test with director Girish Karnad and, most importantly, be approved by Rekha.
He watches
Shekhar Suman talks about his son Adhyayan Suman’s relationship with his ex-girlfriend Kangana Ranaut: I was aware of every moment. But I never talked to her…
5,000 competitors, one round, and a final “yes.”
At RK Studios, Suman realized the scale of competition. “There were about 5,000 boys, all saying they were there to do the same role. I thought I had no chance,” he admitted.After the screen test, he was told he was “99% in” – and the final 1% was dependent on Rekha’s approval.Days of anxious waiting followed. “I was sitting in Prithvi’s theater every day, waiting for her. One day, she came, looked me up and down, and walked in. That was my audition.”The next day, Kapoor delivered the news that changed his life: Rekha had said yes.Suman’s reaction was nothing short of cinematic. “I ran barefoot across the streets and bridges to tell my sister. She fainted from excitement,” he said.He believes that moment defined his journey forever.
“I owe my entire existence to Shashi Kapoor.”
Looking back, Suman is unequivocal about the man who made it all possible.“Today, whoever I am – my existence and my life – I owe it to one man called Shashi Kapoor. I bow down to him. If he had not chosen me, I don’t think I would be sitting here today,” he said.He also admitted to supporting Rekha and Girish Karnad but maintained that Kapoor’s faith in him was the turning point.
Working with Rekha: “She helped me tremendously”
Despite being a newcomer, Suman shared screen space with one of the biggest stars of the time.
His first shot with Rekha involved her cuddling, which made him nervous at first.She said: He is a newcomer, how can he be so confident? But she helped me tremendously throughout the shoot. She was very professional, very helpful, and never had tantrums.For Suman, the journey from a struggling theater actor in a tattered suit to leading a big film opposite Rekha was not just about talent, it was about timing, faith and destiny.“I was in the right place at the right time,” he said.
