RakheeBlast From The Past

STARDUST 1983

Raakhee’s ‘Double’ Trouble! The ‘Man’ Who Makes Her Unpredictable!

“I think like a man and feel like a woman!” Raakhee Gulzar had made the above statement nearly five years ago, but it has stayed in my mind ever since. I was impressed, rather intrigued, and spent quite a bit of time and thought on it over the years. Initially, it had sounded downright contradictory; later, it denoted a constraint mind-vs-heart conflict within the actress; only recently, have the words acquired substance and begun to ring true … at least as pertaining to Raakhee’s life, if not to yours or mine!

Just see the way she has managed to establish each and every member of her family on his/her own feet, for instance. Like with every other heroine, Raakhee’s people expected, even took it for granted that she would look after them when they piled on to her one by one from their home in Calcutta. But the daughter didn’t get over-emotional about her ‘duty’ and sacrifice her whole life (desire for marriage, children, etc.) for their survival. Nor did she cold-bloodedly take them in as parasitic poor relations, or worse, disown them completely. In her role of provider,

Raakhee supplied the capital, set them up in business, but made sure they worked on their own steam to earn every penny after that! She bought a farm on the outskirts of Bombay, named it after her mother and gifted it to her parents, where the latter grow vegetables and market them. She launched one brother (Shibranjan Majumdar) as a producer with ‘Taaqat’ and when the youngest showed no inclination to find a job for himself, big sister brought him into the trade too. Quite the ‘man’ of the house – though the woman still comes to the fore when any of the above are in trouble and ‘please didi please didi’, Raakhee into shelling out a lot of dough, influence, etc., on their behalf.

The dual personality was very apparent even when I visited her last month. As Raakhee 65

sat curled up in an armchair opposite me, I was reminded of a beautiful Persian cat, licking her whiskers warily, yet at the same time, ready to meeoow and pounce if I came too close. I was wondering how to break the ice when Baby Bosky breezed in from school and ran straight into her mother’s arms. The two exchanged a hundred kisses, and the atmosphere automatically lightened with their typical ma-beti kootchie-kooing… Sensing her mother’s momentary vulnerability, Bosky, the smart kid that she is, tried to coax her permission to bunk piano lessons that day. As indulgently, Mama refused and stuck by it with growing firmness when the child became more petulant and cribbing. The matter was finally settled when Raakhee unwrapped a beautiful volume on classical dancing and offered it to the child as a present in return for her attendance. Bosky squealed in delight, hugged the book and ran off to change for her class… Left alone, Raakhee turned sheepishly towards me and said simply, “I feel very guilty when I tempt Bosky with presents. It’s almost like blackmailing a child. But what to do, there’s no other alternative.” The concern was typical of any mother who believes in not sparing the rod and spoiling the child. Raakhee went on to talk about the

other means she uses to check and discipline her daughter. “Bosky is crazy about all those English films like ‘Superman’, ‘Spiderman’, ‘E.T’.” she revealed. “I’m so scared that one day I might not be at home and she might jump from the balcony thinking she’s some superman! You can never say with children, how they get carried away … So to make her understand.” Mama went on self-assuringly, “I’ve bought her a book on how they make these kind of films and how all this is fictitious, so that Bosky can know for herself what is false and what is real!” Seeing her in such a communicate mood, I asked if it wasn’t hard to be both mother (love) and father (discipline) to the child. Wouldn’t things be better if Raakhee got married again? Raakhee instantly froze, but surprisingly didn’t dodge the issue. Instead, she said with cold finality, “Marriage is not for me. I’ll never get married a third time!” Getting charged, she continued fiercely, “Bosky does not miss out on anything, because she lives with her father and her mother. And being an actress does not by any chance make my love any less! In fact, it’s much more, because an actress is seasoned to all these emotions much before her time! Besides, I find that when I come back home after a month of outdoors, the affection, the attachment, is much more since both of us have missed each other terribly! But otherwise if I was hanging around her all the time. Bosky would probably tell me to go out of the room and shut the door because she doesn’t want me when she’s playing with her friends!” Going onto convince me that she took motherhood very seriously and made quite an ideal mother, Raakhee spoke explicitly, “As far as possible, I try and spend as much time as I can with Bosky. I see to it that I don’t have any Why does one need good friends in the industry? I think hard work is enough to keep me going! “ ”

shooting schedules during her summer vacations. She goes to a Parsee school where they have ‘Gatha’ holidays in Au- gust. I try my best to be at home at that time. But even if I have an outdoor shooting, I see to it that it is in some nice place, where Bosky can come along and enjoy herself.” As she finished, she withdrew into a shell of silence, shutting me completely out of her thoughts. I didn’t know how to break through and suddenly it dawned on me that these barriers were probably the reason why everybody labelled Raakhee as moody, proud, distant, unpredictable, and were more scared of her than of any other actress. She snapped out of her trance when I pointedly remarked that her cold aloofness had left her almost friendless in the industry. Rakhee sat bolt upright at that and snapped irritably, “I have seen the type of friendships in the industry, and I’m sorry to say that they are not my cup of tea. I can do without them! Why does one need good friends in the industry? I think good and hard work is enough to keep me going! I do believe in having a good rapport with those I’m working with – but that’s all. I don’t like to give importance to some people just because they are big stars. Like it is rumoured that I give maska, but far from it. Much to the contrary, I try and stay away from big stars. May- be that’s why the industry thinks I’m proud and aloof! “Frankly,” she went on seriously, “my policy is go gain confidence from my seniors and give confidence to my juniors. I don’t lose my identity, but at the same time I behave as though I’m one of them. Like, whenever I go for outdoor shootings, I see to it that I remember the names of each and every member of my unit. I quite detest it when people call them ‘boy’ and ‘bearer’ and all that. In fact, I even cook for each and every one and not only for the big stars!” Raakhee was openly contemptuous of the actress- es who cheapened themselves by hovering around the big daddies just because there was a ‘scope’ for a role! “By now I’ve attained a certain position in the industry so the roles which demand talent and sensitivity automatically come to me. I don’t go to them,” she said proudly. “In fact, I have a hard time selecting films because I prefer to do only three or four films at a time. The rest I re- ject. So when people insinuate that I’m scared of the older actresses (Nanda, Waheeda), mak- ing a comeback because they’re doing my kind of roles, it’s not really true. I still get the films of my choice, whether I put on weight or not! That’s “ If these strong type of roles come my way, I’d love to do them. But I won’t go out of because I don’t do those type of roles where I

my way to tell a director or producer that I’d like to do these types of roles. ”

have to wear modern clothes and flaunt around. while I’m listening to the script. If I find some

Besides, I don’t think that starving yourself and thing I don’t like, I point out at that time itself, looking haggard is worth it. But if I can look like or I don’t sign the film at all! It’s these actresses the hero’s mother (‘Shakti’) even though I’m much who don’t have the time to listen to the scripts younger to him, I’m also capable of looking much properly who later on make a big noise on the younger than I really am! In ‘Amma’ I was supsets. Frankly, I feel it’s a way of showing off! posed to loo0k like a girl of eighteen! It’s only the passion for acting which keeps me going now…” Raakhee didn’t believe that such ‘liberated’ roles made any difference to the public.

Since Raakhee herself spoke about meaningful roles I demanded why she did so many ‘Tapasya’ kind of roles which projected her as a self-sacrificing martyr. Why didn’t she portray the strong, independent woman that was closer to her reallife personality, and try to influence her female fans to revolt against down-trodden status and become more assertive? Frankly, I was surprised when Raakhee went all helpless and said defensively, “I am only an actress who is supposed to do what the directors want of me. I have no say in the matter. If these strong type of roles come my way, I’d love to do them. But I won’t go out of my way to tell a direcPersonally I feel that though every Indian woman has a small flicker of awakening in her as she sees those type of films, it dies down as she leaves the hall,” the actress insisted. “Because a woman in India is suppressed and conservative. We still respect our old valI hate it when people make me out to be a tragedy queen, when I’m not one! “ ” tor or producer that I’d like to do these types of ues. Maybe in Bosky’s generation, things will roles. I don’t believe in putting my foot down on be different and those type of films will be the sets either, and unnecessarily wasting time more appreciated and applauded.” So where making changes in my roles. I pay a lot of attention Raakhee was concerned, there was going to be no drastic breaking out of the Sati Savitri mould a la Shabana Azmi. I asked her how she liked being called the ‘Tragedy Queen’. Instead of being flattered, Raakhee got mad and I only understood why when I realised that she’d taken the title personally instead of professionally. “I hate it when people make me out to be a tragedy queen, when I’m not one!” she shouted angrily. “I have always done what I wanted to in life.” She paused, took a deep breath and went on more placidly, “I admit I have made a lot of sacrifices, which only I know of. But I strongly disapprove of weak people who cry and make themselves out to be miserable. After all, no one has forced me to do it. I have done it out of my own accord! And it’s become a habit by now because I have been fending for my family right from the time I was a little kid! I abhor those who brag that they’ve done this and they’ve done that for their family, because then they don’t remain sacrifices anymore! But, she went on purposefully, “I’ve decided to give, give, give till it hurts…” Seeing my puzzled expression, she added defiantly, “Hurts not ME, but the taker, I will give till he gets tired of taking!” She was far happier about being stamped the ‘Tragedy Queen’ on screen, though. “People think that I’m the tragedy queen on screen, it’s okay with me. I like it. I take it as a compliment,” she declared coolly. “But personally, I really don’t think that I cry all the time as people make it out to be. In fact, I haven’t done a single sobbing scene in the last so many films.” Contrary to expectations, Raakhee revealed that teas didn’t come easily to her. She re69

called the first time she had to cry hysterically in ‘Reshma Aur Shera’. “At that time I was new and didn’t know how to react,” Raakhee explained. But the actress gave such a perfect shot that the entire unit was moved. “Ranjeet who was with me in the shot, also started crying,” Raakhee quipped. “Suddenly I realised that everybody around me was weeping! The scene was so hilarious, that I was the first one to burst out laughing.” The actress laughed again at the memory, then explained matter-of-factly, “You know, in most of my films, I don’t cry. I have that tearful face, but I hold back my tears. Crying, anyone and everyone can do, but to have a strained, shocked expression is far more difficult and injurious to the facial muscles.” Raakhee continued casually, “Actually, what you see of me on screen, is only 15% of what I emote, I’m a very spontaneous person. Half of my emotions come through when I’m listening to the script. Then, with every take, I get dried up and eventually I’m doing only 15% of the histrionics I’m capable of! So I usually request my cameraman and spot-boys to take their positions at the very first take itself, so that if the director likes it. I request them to make do with that. For according to me, it’s my best take. It’s like a sad novel you read. You may cry when you read it for the first time. The second time you may be moved. The third time you read it, you may be totally unmoved!” Though Raakhee was trying to make light of her heavy ‘tragedies’ I persisted that the strain and tension of the roles could rub off on her in real life someday. I mentioned the example of Dilip Kumar who had recently confessed in an interview, that his screen characters (‘Devdas’ ‘Babul’, ‘Dastaan’) had become so ingrained in him that he had literally begun to believe that he was born for tragedy! A psychiatrist had asked him to put a full stop to his tragic roles and go in for comedy, and hence came ‘Ram Aur Shyam’. Raakhee wasn’t the least bit worried. “In Dilip Kumar’s case it is different,” she said coolly. “Before a take, he rehearses so many times that the character goes deep down inside and he begins to believe in it. While in my case, it’s just the reverse. I give my shot in one or two takes and then try and snap out of the mood. By now, this comes naturally to me. And especially if the director praises the shot, the happiness immediately rubs off the depression!” As an after-thought, she conceded reluctantly, “Of “ course, there are times when I’m emotionally exhausted and start shaking very badEven after so many years of flying and trying out different seats in the plane, I still

get so frightened, ”

ly. But that’s because I suffer from low blood pressure. And I try and compose myself soon.” I was wondering whether Raakhee was trying to show her superiority (emotional, disciplinary, etc.) over the opposite sex, when the unpredictable star suddenly reversed her stand and started talking about her secret fears, her superstitions, her paranoiac experiences, which brought me back to the reality of the vulnerable woman she was. I couldn’t believe it when Raakhee confessed that her biggest fear in life was flying! “Even after so many years of flying and trying out different seats in the plane, I still get so frightened.” she revealed wryly. “My heart starts beating faster and I start feeling nervy from one day before my flight. And the worst is yet to come. As soon as the plane door closes, I just shut my eyes tight and sit numb. My palms start perspiring and my feet are wet, but I don’t even have the guts to wipe them. And I feel like screaming if anyone tries to make conversation with me.” Of course, the actress had tried to analyse the fear, and concluded. “I think it’s that feeling of helplessness which gets me. Once I’m in the plane, I feel my life is in someone else’s hands, there is nothing I can do to help myself. If I’m travelling by car. I can tell my driver to go slow or to stop the car when I want to, but I cannot do the same when I’m in a plane.” Raakhee narrated what to her was “a terrifying experience,” but which I found rather amusing. “Usually, I don’t leave my seat once I sit in the plane, even if it is a thirty hour journey!” the ac- 70

tress quipped. “But that day the flight to London happened to be unusually pleasant, so I picked up the courage to go to the cloak. Just as I’d finished. I read the sign. ‘Tighten your seat belts’ and before I knew anything, there was such a My parents used to lock us up in a dark room when we were naughty and used to “ jerk that it sent me flying into a seat. I was too shocked to look back or forth, so I just sat tight till it was time to unboard the plane. It was only then that I realised that I had been sitting on a man’s lap! That man was naturally foxed and he kept on following me right till I left the airport. He was probably looking for signs of madness in me. Oh God! I was so terribly embarrassed; I hoped never to see that man again!” was ready and I was supposed to move in, I suddenly realised that the ceiling was too high. All of a sudden, I felt this nagging doubt that if frighten us with bhoot stories. So to this day, that fear is still in my mind. ” Raakhee remarked that a similar feeling of suffosomething happens and I scream and shout, cation came over her whilst staying in any palace no one will be able to hear me. And that did it! hotels. She said emotionally, “I don’t know why, That room has been deserted ever since. Now but I feel that a palace may have been converted I sleep in the common bedroom with Bosky into a hotel because of a series of misfortunes and my brothers and sisters-in-law and everyin the family to which it belonged. The people one else. I feel safe there. I think I’ve got this who lived there must have been princes once fear because my parents used to lock us up in upon a time, and now they were reduced to a dark room when we were naughty and used paupers! So the very thought of staying in such to frighten us with bhoot stories. So to this an unfortunate place puts me off. Sometimes day, that fear is still in my mind. That’s why I’ve this becomes so embarrassing for me because made up my mind I’ll never do that with Bosky! the whole unit stays there and only I have to be put up somewhere else. So of course, I have a lot of explaining to do every time I shift out!” “Frankly, I am very chicken,” the actress admitted sheepishly. “You won’t believe it, but I still cannot get myself to see any of these scary movies like A similar phobia made the actress shift out of ‘Omen’. Once, something really funny happened. her own bedroom in her own home! “I had got I’d gone to the film festival with Sachin Bhowmick a beautiful bedroom built for myself in the othand they were showing ‘Omen’. He conned me er wing of the bungalow,” Raakhee explained. into seeing it. So on his assurance, I went. But “After the room was furnished and everything somehow we got separated and he happened

to be somewhere down, while I was sitting in the balcony. I was quite petrified. But no sooner had the movie started, that I went up to the box, scribbled Sachin’s name and requested the manin-charge to show it on the slide saying he was wanted immediately. Everyone was scared as to what had happened to me. And Sachin was so relieved when I told him to sit next to me and tell me all the scenes beforehand so that I wouldn’t see all those frightening shots! And true enough, now if you ask me to relate what I saw, I can’t because I didn’t see more than half the film!” After that, of course, it was only natural for Raakhee to extend the supernatural fears into real life as well. I was surprised at how much the actress knew about voodoo, witch-craft, ‘nazar etc. And when I showed scepticism, she insisted that she herself hadn’t believed in the stuff until she experienced it personally! “While I was shooting for ‘Shriman Shrimati’ in Madras,” Raakhee related seriously, “I was in quite a foul mood, since I was feeling depressed and had had continuous fever for four-five days. I couldn’t fathom what was happening to me till Khatija (her hairdresser, friend, confidante) turned up the next day with a piece of alum from the canteen and started heating it on the tawa. What happened later was un believable. The eye of the person who had lagaoed nazar on me formed on the tawa! At once, my temperature went down and I was hale and hearty the next day.

I could’ve gone on listening to Raakhee’s life stories endlessly, but luckily my nazar fell on my watch and I realised that if I didn’t leave immediately. I’d be in danger – of out-staying my welcome and of being voodoo-ed by the half-a-dozen producers, directors, writers, etc., who were impatiently waiting for their turn with the star! witch-craft, ‘nazar etc. And when I showed scepticism, she insisted that she herself hadn’t believed in the stuff until she experienced it personally! “While I was shooting for ‘Shriman Shrimati’ in Madras,” Raakhee related seriously, “I was in quite a foul mood, since I was feeling depressed and had had continuous fever for four-five days. I couldn’t fathom what was happening to me till Khatija (her hairdresser, friend, confidante) turned up the next day with a piece of alum from the canteen and started heating it on the tawa. What happened later was un believable. The eye of the person who had lagaoed nazar on me formed on the tawa! At once, my temperature went down and I was hale and hearty the next day. I was plain lucky that I came to know of it.” I could’ve gone on listening to Raakhee’s life stories endlessly, but luckily my nazar fell on my watch and I realised that if I didn’t leave immediately. I’d be in danger – of out-staying my welcome and of being voodoo-ed by the half-a-dozen producers, directors, writers, etc., who were impatiently waiting for their turn with the star!

FAST FORWARD

Nepotism may be ‘the’ word today. But this doeeyed heroine has proved herself without having any Godfather or knowing key people in Tinsel Town. In fact, she was everything that they said a heroine cannot be – she was married and then divorced, had come from Bangladesh, could barely speak Hindi… But still through her hard-work and dedication, she conquered Bollywood. In fact, her amazing performances have earned her many an award including the coveted National Film Award and the Padma Shri. Today, Rakhee is a bit of a recluse – not seen at parties or any social event, but her repertoire of films showcases her immense talent. On the personal front, Gulzar, her husband and she have lived amiably separate for many years though they have never been officially divorced. Their daughter Meghna is married and is an eminent filmmaker in her own right. Rakhee’s last film was in 2003 with Shubho Mahurat, which won her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. After that, one has not seen much of her. But her fans still clamour to get one glimpse of this eternal beauty and we hope she returns to the silver screen soon.

-Sumita Chakraborty