Ali Anwar, the veteran producer pays tribute to esteemed director Ravi Tandon including his film Khud-daar, which starred Amitabh Bachchan.
Ravi Tandon directed your biggest hit as a producer?
The man I continue to admire even after his passing is my lovable Ravi Bhai. He always said that I gave him his lifetime’s evergreen superhit film. He credited me for entrusting him with Khud-Daar. I am very grateful to Ravi bhai for his contribution, his direction, and most of all, his team-building spirit in putting together a high-scale project of the time.
How did Khud-daar happen?
Khud-daar was a coming together of the best in the film industry. My Bidoo partner Farouq Rattonsey and I had set out on this larger-than-life journey of pursuing an ambitious project like Khud-daar with Amitabh leading a stellar star cast.
Rajesh Roshan’s songs, specially ‘Angrezi mein kehte hai’, became chartbusters?
Raju’s versatile music added life to the film. ‘Oonche Neeche Raaste,’ Raju’s and my adaptation of a Japanese song, ‘Mach Gaya Shor Saree Nagree Re,’ went on to be a Janmashtami anthem to date….
The film’s leading lady, Parveen Babi, was going through her own crisis?
Parveen was going through a traumatic phase at the time. She asked if I, like the other producers, wanted her to quit the film and return the signing fee, as she was going to America for treatment. I said, on the contrary, I wanted to know how much time she needed. We finished other scenes with Ravi bhai’s meticulous planning while she was away. On returning six months later, Parveen gave us the first available dates… We worked like a family. Ravi bhai ensured we did.
It was not an easy film to make?
Khud-daar had its own set of challenges. It took five years from conceptualisation to release. We constructed a large set at Chandivali, which later continued to be utilised as a housing colony. Towards the tail end of post-production of the film, Amitabh was injured on the sets of Coolie and hospitalised for months. When I visited him in hospital the first thing he asked was “ Bidoo, how’s the film doing?” and I said ‘It’s a superhit!!!’ Ravi bhai was the captain of this fairly large ship that endured a long voyage and docked with flying colours!!! Ravi bhai was a gem of a person. As a director, he was a man with a vision but not without a keen listening ear.
