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'This film is for my million fans': Hema
Dream girl returns opposite Big B in Baghban
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Ronjita Kulkarni
Even as Abhishek Bachchan and Esha Deol are still trying to carve a niche for themselves in the Hindi film industry, Amitabh and Hema Malini are making waves as they star in yet another film together.
This B R Chopra film, Baghban is a family drama. And like all other B R Chopra films, it has a social message.
The film tells of a family where the parents (Amitabh and Hema) sacrifice everything to nurture their four children, only to be left cared for when they grow old. Amitabh's character has been compared to a baghban (gardener) who plants and nurtures a tree so that someday he can sit under its shade.
Directed by Ravi Chopra, the cast includes Paresh Rawal, Sameer Soni, Nasir Khan, Divya Dutta, Saahil Chadha, Lilette Dubey, Arzoo Gowatrikar, Nakul Vaidya and Asrani. Uttam Singh scores the music.
The mahurat, held on July 18, saw most of the cast at Film City, Goregaon (a suburb of Mumbai). While Amitabh wore a black suit, Hema looked ravishing in a baby pink and gold Neeta Lulla sari.
The mahurat shot was simple. The couple walk down a flight of stairs arm in arm, chatting. At the bottom of the stairs, their grandchildren meet them and hug them. Playing one of AB's grandchildren is Yash Pathak, the cute little boy in Prakash Jha's Rahul.
Baghban is based on a story written by B R Chopra 40 years ago. Ravi Chopra elaborates, "We were in Norway at the time and had visited an old age home, speaking with some of the people living there. They told us that they had all everything provided for except for one thing --- the love of their children. That moved my father and he decided to use it as the subject of his film."
But the film delayed until 12 years back. "We were supposed to start shooting 12 years back. But my father fell sick and couldn't do the film. So he asked me to do it."
Incidentally, Abhishek's recent release, Gurudev Bhalla's Sharaarat, also rotates around the inmates of an aged home.
The film was to get underway 12 years ago but with Chopra's ill-health the film. was delayed. Dilip Kumar was the first choice for Amitabh's role in Baghban, 12 years back. "We needed someone in 50-60 year age group. Now, Dilipji has crossed that age but Amitji fits perfectly," Chopra says.
Chopra worked with Amitabh only once in Zameer (1974) but the two have
grown to be close friends. Hema is no stranger to the Chopras either having worked with them in The Burning Train (1980). So when Ravi Chopra approached her with a script, she agreed easily.
"I have been offered roles in the last few years but none of them excited me. But when Raviji narrated this story to me, I felt very excited."
Hema and Amitabh have worked in many films before, including Kasauti (1974), Sholay (1975), Trishul
(1978), Do Aur Do Paanch (1980), Naseeb (1981), Desh Premee (1982), Satte Pe Satta (1981) and Andha Kanoon (1983).
Smiles Hema, "I was just telling Amitji that he has continued acting but I haven't acted for years!" She has made a comeback with this film as a tribute to all her fans. "This film is for my million fans!"
About her role she says, "This is not really a challenging role. I have children in real life! The performance will be natural."
Chopra feels very strongly for the star children. "I would love to work with Abhishek and Esha. I think
that Abhishek must do intense roles, as he is a very intense person. He is not the kind to run around trees." So while Abhishek awaits the box office statement for his latest film Anupam Kher's Om Jai Jagadish released on July 19, Amitabh starts yet another chapter in his legendary life.