Rakesh Roshan’s 1994 blockbuster Karan Arjun has re-opened in movie theatres this past week. Although the focus of media attention during release was clearly the Salman-SRK Jodi, over the years Karan Arjun has gained recognition for its matriarchal salespitch.
Raakhee Gulzar who played Karan and Arjun’s mother was Rakesh Roshan’s one and only choice.
Says Raakhee, “I’ve known Rakesh Roshan for a very long time. Before being directed by him in Karan Arjun, we had worked as co-stars in Aankhon Aankhon Mein and Aankh Micholi. Years later he came to me with the offer of playing a mother’s role in Karan Arjun.”
At that point of time, Raakhee was not prepared to switch to mother’s role. “It was Subhash Ghai’s Ram Lakhan and then a little later Karan Arjun where I made the switchover from heroine to mother’s role. But if you look at the selected films where I played the mother I never played the typical Cine-Maa.”
Truly, Karan Arjun changed the way cinema looked at the Cine-Maa.
Observes Raakhee, “Also, films on the theme of reincarnation were not considered boxoffice friendly. There were hits like Madhumati, Milan and Karz on the theme. But filmmakers normally shied away from films on puran janm before Karan Arjun.”
When contacted Rakesh Roshan couldn’t keep the pride out of his voice.
Speaking on 30 years of Karan Arjun he said, “For such a film time is no bar. Karan Arjun is a monument and a landmark.”
