“My father said, ‘Ye jo log unchi buildingo mein baith ke likhte hai wo Hindustan ko nahi jante’” – Jaaved Jaaferi

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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"My father said, ‘Ye jo log unchi buildingo mein baith ke likhte hai wo hindustan ko nahi jante. Maine Hindustan ko sadko pe dekha hai jo asli Hindustan hai. My audience is that India. That farmer, that rikshaw driver, that small town guy’," recalled Jaaved Jaaferi about what his father Jagdeep sahab said about an unsavory review of one of his film performances. Jagdeep sahab passed away recently and Jaaferi for the first time since the unfortunate demise opened up in an exclusive conversation with Bollywood Hungama's Faridoon Shahryar. This conversation is the special attraction of the opening day of the prestigious International Indian Film Festival, Toronto (August 9th-15th, 2020).

The special conversation with Jaaved comprehensively covers his illustrious career as a Child artiste, as a hero and as an actor who excelled in comic roles. Here are a few highlights from the interview:

1) Jaaved on Jagdeep sahab getting single title in Guru Dutt's Aar Paar: "For a child to get single title at that time was not easy"

2). "My father never used glycerine even as a child"

3). "Dharam ji was quite depressed and sad. He said that he is contemplating going back. My father said to him – no you're a very good looking man, you've got a good personality so don't give up hope. Stick around"

4). "My father always believed that don't underestimate your audience, don't look down, don't be condescending, they are everything. And that he inculcated in his life"

5). "He never ever mentioned the partition, he never mentioned the trauma of the bloodshed he came through, he never mentioned religion. He came back when all the Muslims were heading towards Pakistan. So his patriotism was at another level"

6). "My father said Umar ki izzat karo, Kala ki izzat karo, Paise ke liye izzat mat karo"

7). "Surma Bhopali didn't have the louder facial expressions. It was very very natural. It was a brilliantly written scene, it was an iconic film. That (Surma Bhopali character) became Cult and he (Jagdeep sahab) was remembered for that"

8). "Mehboob Khan saab told my father – Hamare yaha jo aise badtameezi se jor jor se baat karte hai unko film mein nahi lete. My father was very hurt. He had tears in his eyes and he said- Mehboob saab aapki film ki shuruat mein ek sher aata hai 'Muddai lakh bura chahe to kya hota hai, wahi hota hai jo manzoor-e-khudah hota hai". To aap mujhe kaam nahi denge to kya wo Khudah mujhe kaam nahi dega? And he (Mehboob Khan saab) got up, he was trembling, he started crying and said – mere baap mere ko maaf kar, tu kya bol diya! Tu meri har film mein rahega. And since then in every film of him as a child artist he took my father"

9)." Mehboob Khan saab called my father for film Mother India and he said do hero hai, ek hero ka role tu karega (Birju). My father was too thin. He asked Cinematographer kuch padding wadding kar ke dekhe, but he said nahi yaar, bare body scenes hai, jacket pehanneka hai. So he (Mehboob Khan) really felt sad and said I had promised you I will take you in my every film but I can't fit you in this role. He was very apologetic and my father really appreciated that he was so honest."

Also Read: Jaaved Jaaferi pens an emotional note for late father Jagdeep, remembers his 70 years of contribution to Indian cinema

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