Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla starrer Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman accomplished 31 years of launch final week. The movie co-producer Viveck Vaswani acquired candid with ETimes and shared the journey of the movie, his probability assembly with Shah Rukh Khan, how he ended up casting SRK in his movie, why Rajuturned out to be his fourth launch regardless of being the primary movie he signed, Juhi Chawla’s first response to SRK and extra.Excerpts:
Inform us one thing concerning the movie’s journey and your first assembly with Shah Rukh Khan.
The movie’s journey began one and a half 12 months earlier than we launched the movie. It was an sudden journey as a result of I used to be not anticipating to launch anyone. I had already launched Raveena Tandon in Patthar Ke Phool and Salman Khan had develop into a giant star. I believe Sippy Saab, me, Anant Balani, had been gearing as much as make one other movie with Salman and Raveena.
On the final day of the shoot of Patthar Ke Phool which was a Sunday, we had been taking pictures on Linking Street. You get the outside solely on Sunday. I met Shah Rukh on Linking Street when the taking pictures was happening. There was once a lodge named Bandra Worldwide behind Fortunate Biryani. There was a espresso store on the primary flooring which had a giant window. So, I may see my taking pictures from there. Anant was directing Salman and Raveena. Sanjay Gupta, Sanjay Gadhvi had been among the many assistants on the set.
It was the final day of some patchwork shoot. I used to be sitting contained in the espresso store. I met Shah Rukh. We had espresso and a cigarette. He advised me that he was staying in Saeed Mirza’s workplace as a result of he was taking pictures for Circus. Every part was good.
After the pack-up, Anant and everybody got here up. Sanjay Gupta advised me that Shah Rukh is a giant star. He has completed Fauji and has a giant fan following. After pack-up, I used to be going to Sterling Cinema which had newly put in Dolby system. And so they had been exhibiting a movie known as Abyss on the 10:30 pm present. Shah Rukh accompanied me in my daddy’s Fiat and each of us went to Sterling. We watched Abyss. I purchased the tickets in black as a result of it was a houseful present. I purchased cigarettes and popcorn. The movie’s period was lengthy and it acquired over at 1 am at evening.
Then SRK requested for cash…
Shah Rukh requested me for 100 rupees as a result of he needed to go to Bandra. I didn’t have any money as a result of I had already spent no matter I had. So, I advised him to get within the automotive and that I’ll drop him. However there was no petrol within the automotive. So, I advised him, “Let’s go to my home. My mother is insomniac. She is normally awake at this hour. You borrow a hundred rupees from her and then go to Bandra.” So, he got here to my home that evening. However coincidentally, my mom was quick asleep that evening. So, I advised him to sleep over at my home and go to Bandra the following morning. I gave him shorts to put on. He stayed at my home for 2 years.
I went to work within the morning and got here again within the night however he was nonetheless asleep. My mom mentioned, “He was so tired. I didn’t have the heart to wake him up.” Then I woke him up and he had a bathe. He was a star. He mentioned, “This is veg.” I advised him, “On Mondays, we always eat dal-chawal.” He mentioned, “No.” So, I took him to Gaylord and ordered butter rooster. He was emotional that evening. He advised me that his mom was dying. So, I advised him to remain yet another evening. He stayed there till he acquired married. So, that’s the story of Shah Rukh Khan and Viveck Vaswani. However there was no intention of creating a movie.
He didn’t need to do movies. He was very blissful doing TV. After his mom died in Delhi after 3-4 months, I went to Delhi the place I met Gauri and stayed at his home. Usually, he used to name me earlier than coming however one evening he got here to my home at 4 o’clock. I requested him to return inside. He mentioned, “My mother is dead. I have done the formalities. Will you launch me? Will you cast me in your movie?” I mentioned, “Yes”. He mentioned, “Pehle tum bolo, nahin toh main andar nahin aa raha.” He really took me to a restaurant subsequent to my home. We sat over espresso. Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman was born there.
However why was Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman the fourth launch of Shah Rukh Khan and never first?
We determined that Aziz Mirza would direct it. We went to his workplace and sat along with his assistants. We determined that it might be a heat story. I used to be making the movie for Shah Rukh. So, we’ve got to write down Shah Rukh solely, no? In any other case, how wouldn’t it be a launch movie? The concept was to make him saleable. So, I took him to fulfill Rakesh Roshan for King Uncle, to Rajeev Mehra for Chamatkar, to Hema Malini for Dil Aashna Hai. I advised him, “When four of your films are sold and all territories are sold, then we will start shooting for Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman. So, Raju… was the first film but the shooting started last because until he was not saleable, I did not want to make the film.”
Rakesh Roshan didn’t want Shah Rukh’s saleability. Hema Malini already had Jeetendra, Mithun Chakraborty and many others. I wanted his saleability issue in order that it really works for Raju… That’s the way it materialised. I met Juhi. I advised her that he was essentially the most good-looking boy on the planet. She used to remain close by my home, so I made her meet Shah Rukh. By that point, she had met me and Azeez and wished to work with us. So, all the pieces acquired into place.
Amrita Singh scared me on the primary day of the shoot. She ran away and married Saif Ali Khan. However she got here again and completed the entire movie and she or he was very tremendous within the movie. The movie turned successful and Shah Rukh acquired momentum. The purpose was by no means to make a movie. The purpose was at all times to provide him a profession. Placing an actor in a movie will get him work. However how do you make a movie successful in case you don’t do correct planning?
A movie is successful when there are good distributors backing it, highly effective distributors distributing it – which theatres to decide on, the place to place the posters and billboards and many others. All these items make the saleability issue work and we did all these items and Shah Rukh Khan turned a star. Not as a result of I gave him a break however the technique was to make Raju… successful.
Inform us one thing concerning the Juhi incident…
First, I met Juhi’s mom Mona Chawla at The Taj. I mentioned, “I am making a film with a new boy.” So, she was like, “New boy? Juhi has just signed films with big stars. She has signed Bol Radha Bol with Rishi Kapoor. Don’t take the new boy. Take Aamir Khan instead.” I advised her that GP Sippy was producing the movie. Then the entire perspective modified as a result of he had made Sholay. So, she mentioned sure and requested who was the brand new boy. So, I made Juhi meet Shah Rukh. However earlier than that, I had given her narration of Raju… from Aziz. She liked Aziz and her position within the movie. She liked all the pieces concerning the movie.
I believe Shah Rukh was not the massive issue and she or he was not upset in Shah Rukh. She was upset that I had lied to her about Shah Rukh being the best-looking boy on the planet. So, she was like, “He is not the best-looking boy in the whole universe.” I advised her to shoot with him for 2 days after which inform me. So, she shot with him for 2 days and got here again to me saying, “I take my words back. He is fabulous.” You must see him on set. He’s not good-looking. He’s charming. However how do I clarify that to her after I had additionally met him barely six months in the past?
There’s one thing about Nana Patekar’s charge too…
Nana was the largest star at the moment. I paid Juhi 3 lakhs and Nana 6 lakhs. Nana mentioned to me, “Viveck ji, I like Aziz. He is a very good actor. I will do the film. I will take 6 lakhs.” And he mentioned, “Sippy Saab ko jaa ke bolo maine 6 lakh iss liye bola hai kyunki mujhe yeh picture karni hai. Nahin karni hoti toh main 60 lakh bolta.”