'Aamir Khan and Salman Khan were already very busy. Then, Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor started signing more films, Paresh Rawalji also got busy...
'Rajkumar Santoshiji got offered Damini he was very excited about it. He told dad that since her dates were available, let me do this film quickly. But aisa hota toh nahin. That film also took time.
'So sabke dates ka problem ho gaya, including the director’s.'
When Andaz Apna Apna released in 1994, it didn't do well at the box office. But, over the years, it has gained cult status.
On April 25, Andaz Apna Apna has hit the screens once again, hoping to correct history by getting the kind of theatrical release it deserved.
Priti Sinha, daughter of the film’s late producer Vinay Kumar Sinha, was about cast member Raveena Tandon’s age (around 22 years old) when the film was being made.
She looks back and gives Ronjita Kulkarni/Rediff some gold nuggets from its making. One of them is this interesting fact: "Amrish Puri was approached to play a character called Zorambo, taking off on Mogambo. But because he didn’t have any dates, the team cast Shakti Kapoor."
How many times have you watched Andaz Apna Apna?
My dad hosted some 100 trial shows of the film. So those 100, plus another 100 (smiles).
He was socially very active.
We are from Bihar so all our relatives, plus his friends, industry friends, anyone who would call him and ask for a trial show... my dad would keep one for them and their families.
He was also part of the censor board.
Since it is a mazedaar film, Dad used to be very happy to see people rolling on the floor and laughing.
Did you ever go on the sets?
Yes. I travelled to Ooty twice when my dad had to shoot the Eello Ji Sanam Hum Aa Gaye song and then some scenes.
Can you share some of your memories?
There would be a lot of laughter on the sets.
And my father never said no to (Director) Rajkumar Santoshi. He really loved him and I know the feeling was mutual.
When his sister was getting married, or there was any family function, my father was always there to hold his hand.
Irrespectively of how many years the film took, my father never refused Rajji anything.
Since Rajji was a foodie, my father used to feed him good food.
My father had a great cook and sometimes the food would go to the sets from home.
Rajkumar Santoshi was just a film old when Andaz Apna Apna started filming; his earlier film was the actioner, Ghayal. What was he like?
Yes, he was young and just one film old.
I remember he did talk about doing another action film the second time too but my father said that we have these two heartthrobs, let’s make something lighter, fresher. Since Rajji had already done action, my father suggested they try a different genre.
Rajji was a foodie. He would come home often because mom was a good cook.
There were two perfectionists on that set, Rajji and Aamirbhai.
Aamir would come on set two hours before his call time and discuss with Rajji.
He was very passionate and excited about his work.
Since the film took four years to get made, was it a financial strain on your father?
The film was going to be made in a year with a certain budget. Since it took four years to be made, the budget increased by four times.
If a producer has anticipated that a film will get done in a year, he would have funds only for one year right? Any delay is going to crunch your financials.
I don’t know how it finally played out but I know that Aamirbhai helped with his dates. Salman stood like a rock probably because of Salim (Khan) uncle. Salim uncle is, I think, was where it started. He had told dad to make a film and Salman would be there.
Papa made about 10 films, including Chor Police and Ameer Aadmi Gareeb Aadmi, and he completed all of them. But he's only remembered for Andaz Apna Apna.
It was a very special for him. For starters, Aamir and Salman were signed together for the first time. That became the talk of the town.
Rajji was coming from the big hit, Ghayal.
So there was a lot of excitement.
But, as things progressed, my father felt that the combination dates mein problem ho gaya. Aamir and Salman were already very busy. Then, Raveena and Karisma started signing more films, Pareshji (Rawal) also got busy... and if you see the film, all their scenes are together.
Rajji got offered Damini with Meenakshiji (Sheshadri) and he was very excited about it. So he took up that film in-between. He told dad that since her dates were available, let me do this film quickly. But aisa hota toh nahin. That film also took time.
So sabke dates ka problem ho gaya, including the director’s.
Imagine the stress my father must have gone through!
How did he combat it?
He moved heaven and hell to make the film but didn’t take on a partner to co-produce it with him.
Raveena had once posted on social media that none of the actors were talking to each during the making of the film. Is that true?
Yes, they weren’t talking to each other.
But the actors would know more about that.
Everybody was very young at that time. I think Raveena and I were of the same age. You never know what they were thinking about.
Did you interact with the cast?
We knew Aamirbhai because he was a family friend. Tahir (Hussain, Aamir Khan's father) uncle was a family friend. Even Raveena, Karisma, but to a little lesser extent than the others.
I had met Salman recently and told him that the only time I had met him was when we went to Ooty. I hadn’t met him from then till now.
Did he recognise you?
No, he did not! But we were both very young when we first met and there hadn’t been much interaction then.
My brother Amod, sister Namrata, nephew Shrey and I had gone to his house and we had a nice time, talking about the film and about dad.
Andaz Apna Apna had a big cast, including stars like Paresh Rawal, Mehmood and Deven Verma. How difficult was it to manage so many egos?
My father began his career in production and went on to make many films. We had a great relationship with all the actors like Devenji, Jagdeep uncle, Mehmoodji over the years.
I have a picture of Mehmood uncle holding my siblings and me; I was about four or five years old then.
Viju (Khote) uncle was a very dear friend of my dad’s.
So I think all this was done with a lot of love and affection for my father.
Please share some fun facts about the film that no one knows yet.
Amrish Puri was approached to play a character called Zorambo, taking off on Mogambo. But because he didn’t have any dates, the team cast Shakti Kapoor.
Shehzad Khan was struggling for a very long time. He used to often meet dad for a role. So my father took him to Rajji and told him that he’s Ajit’s son, please write a role for him. Till date, Shehzad Khan remembers my father as his godfather.
(Lyricist) Majrooh Sultanpuri loved dad and that’s how he came to do the film. His son Andaleeb Sutanpuri assisted Rajji; my brother Amod assisted too.
There was a lot of drama behind the comedy.
The film flopped when it first released in 1994.
No, it did not.
For the longest time, there’s been this perception that the film was a flop.
My father had told me that Andaz Apna Apna was supposed to release in 1993. The first copies were out, the promotions had started. But Rajji wanted to make some changes so the release was shifted to 1994.
The promotional activities stopped but money had already been spent on it.
Later, when the film was ready to release again, none of the actors were around to promote it. They were busy with their other films. Aamir and Salman were shooting out of town. So none of the actors came to the premiere. Only Meenakshi Sheshadri came.
It was a limited release, so people thought the film didn’t do well.
But my father made money, the distributors made money, so how can it be a flop?
People would tell my father he had made a wonderful film, they would tell him, ‘Aap purush nahin, mahapurush hai!’
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