'Amit and I share a chemistry, like Kajol and Shah Rukh'

Raakhee

We share a very special bond. When we were paired in Suneel Darshan's Ek Rishtaa: The Bond Of Love last year, it seemed like we had broken off shooting two days ago instead of 17 years earlier.

We resumed shooting with no damage done to the continuity in our relationship. We didn't even realise how time flew by. I vibe very well with Amit. I guess we share a chemistry, like Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan.

I have known him since we were both newcomers in Reshma Aur Shera. We had a great time shooting together in Rajasthan. Amit, Ranjeet and I were the terrible trio. The two used to scare people wearing monster masks, hide [character artiste] K N Singh's beer bottles while he muttered expletives in the desert.

Amit is very articulate and methodical. I only know the basics of acting. I just memorise my dialogues and do whatever comes to my mind when the camera is on. I think acting should be a mixture of preparation and spontaneity. Amit has that combination in his performances.

I know his method before the camera. Likewise, I knew what Dilipsaab would do in Shakti and I would prepare myself accordingly. One problem with me was my language. I am not very good with Hindi grammar. But all my problems were effortlessly sorted out when Amit and I worked together. He knew what I would do before the camera and vice versa. And that is it. There would be no problem after that.

Amit and I are not fussy about our looks and best profiles before the camera. All actors are conscious of how to recite dialogues and in what way. But all Amit and I were bothered with is the measurement of the camera movement. That helped our performances.

Amit became a star with Zanjeer in 1973. By that time I was married. I thought I wasn't coming back. But in 1975, I returned with Kabhi Kabhie.

Do you know, we both got Filmfare Awards for Best Performance in a parallel role in the same year? He got it for Namak Haraam and I got it for Daag. We used to call it the award for the pyarelal role (laughs). Anyway that year we both shared the Filmfare platform.

After that he went his way. I went mine, only to return in Kabhi Kabhie with Amit. Initially, we were awkward together. But we soon overcame our discomfort. We both share common traits like self-discipline and a reserved nature. We both don't bother with what others are doing. We both are directors' artistes. All the directors from Sunil Dutt to Suneel Darshan with whom we have worked with have been very capable men.

But the film worked in totality, didn't it? Don't forget, this is a male-oriented film industry. I have actually done just four films that revolve completely around me -- Tapasya, Shraddhanjali, Humkadam and Akshay Kumar's debut film Saugandh. To my good fortune, they worked well.

If you have noticed, I never did a faltu role in any of my films with Amitabh Bachchan. In fact, Yash Chopra claimed that my role of Pooja in Kabhi Kabhie was written especially for me. The song Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein was written by Sahir Ludhianvi only for me. I don't know how far it is true.

I remember we had a party on the evening the songs were recorded. All of us -- Amit, [wife] Jaya, Yash and me -- we used to meet at Yash Chopra's house. We had some good times together.

Raakhee spoke to Subhash K Jha