March 3 marks 31 years of Shyam Benegal’s endearing Mammo. This was one of the three films film critic Khalid Mohamed wrote for Benegal based on his own life and family, the other two being Sardari Begum (1996) and Zubeida</em (2001).
Rajit Kapoor, who played Khalid, speaks exclusively on the film.
What do you remember about Mammo?
It is one of the most sensitive stories ever made into a film. You know, I actually have an audio cassette somewhere of the film. And there was a time where we used to all listen to cassettes. I used to play it, the film, just to listen to it. It’s that kind of film. And as somebody said, I play the bookends of the film, because I come in the beginning and in the end.
What was it like working with the powerhouse actresses Surekha Sikri and Farida Jalal?
I got to work with two fantastic women, Surekha Sikri and Farida Mummy. I call her Farida Mummy since she’s played my mother in a series much earlier. But I’ve always been so fond of her.
What was it like playing Khalid Mohamed?
While making this film, I had no clue and I had no idea that I was actually playing a real character of Khalid. It never struck me. That struck me only during Zubeida, in which I played Khalid Mohamed again. So for me, it was really the story and just the simplicity of it. I don’t have words to really explain. The simplicity really pierces your heart.
