Amitabh Bachchan speaks with Subhash K Jha about working on Shah Rukh Khan’s Paheli and the reason he did the special apperance for free.
Shah Rukh Khan’s experimental production Paheli which was directed by Amol Palekar clocked 20 years on June 24.
Amitabh Bachchan who had an interesting cameo in Paheli recalls not accepting any remuneration from Shah Rukh for the film. “Why should I charge any money from Shah Rukh? Even today if he asks me to work for him I’d happily do it. Money won’t be discussed. He’s a friend. When he asked me to do a small role in Paheli, I immediately agreed. These are little gestures that one makes for friends. Paise to aate hi rehenge. Where does money come into it?”
Mr Bachchan recalls how Shah Rukh insisted on paying him after shooting. “After my three-day shooting of Paheli when I was leaving Shah Rukh came to hug me with a bouquet and an envelope. I didn’t pay any attention to it until I got into my car. I thought the envelope contained a letter of thanks. But when I opened it to my surprise I found a cheque which was totally unacceptable to me. I returned it.”
Mr Bachchan gets sentimental about his association with Shah Rukh Khan. “He is family. Not only I, Jaya, Abhishek, Shweta we are all very fond of Shah Rukh. Abhishek treats him like a big brother. I have done quite a few films with him. I can immediately recall Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein where we both had many interactive scenes. More recently we did R Balki’s ad film together. Always great fun.”
