3 Comments

1. PavanJha says:

   March 6, 2009 at 11:34 am

   Om,

   This is a 7 years old interview.. still a talking point?

   Read the latest Interview of Raakhi ji after Gulzar saab won Oscar.

   ——————————————-
   *The whole of India is celebrating Gulzar saab’s Oscar win. What’s your reaction?

   He is the most deserving. My husband is the best. I’m so happy that at his age, his mind is still so alert. Since the nominations were announced, there were doubts about whether he ought to go to the awards ceremony. He called me up and we discussed what he ought to do. He mentioned that our daughter, Meghna, had wanted him to go. Since I understood that he still wasn’t very convinced, I said it was completely up to him to decide on what he wanted to do. The Oscars are not just for Gulzar or Rahman. It’s an honour for India. As far as I remember, the other Indians to have won it were Satyajit Ray and Bhanu Athaiya. Of course, every award is important. But then, there is something about the Oscars and Nobel Prize that make them stand apart from the rest. It’s definitely a very happy moment for us.

   *How have the celebrations been at home?

   We are a very close-knit family — my husband, daughter and son-in-law. We had a quiet dinner before the Oscar night. While there will be a whole lot of well-wishers congratulating him, I know he’ll love to do his own work. He plays tennis and has injured his wrist. So, when I first called him up, he said he was going for his physiotherapy. Despite the win, he remains as normal as he always is. Neche geye party kori na amra (We don’t sing and dance to celebrate). There is a Bengali proverb that says: Jar biye hush nei, para porshir ghum nei! That’s exactly the case here.

   *What’s it about Gulzar saab’s lyrics that you appreciate?

   His recent lyrics make use of a lot of colloquial words without being obscene. I still find poetry in them. He never compromises on the aesthetic quality of the lyrics. In fact, there have been times when he refused to dilute his lyrics after producers wanted him to write certain things. Even when he refused, I’ve never seen him disappointed.

   Though it’s a difficult choice, could you pick your favourite line from Gulzar saab’s songs?

   Tujh se naraz nahin zindagi…

   Why doesn’t one get to see you doing films these days?

   While change is inevitable, I don’t wish to do a film only for the sake of doing one. Today, people are talking to me because of the kind of work that I’ve done. I can’t pick up any role and disappoint the expectations they have from me. I’ve always taken up a role judging the project in totality. I am grateful to Rituparno Ghosh for giving me that role in Shubho Mahurat.

   Don’t you ever wish that Gulzar saab had directed you too?

   No. I never have that regret. I’ve usually been part of every project that he has done. But the honest confession is that I never wanted a situation where there would be a compulsion in him to cast me since I’m his wife. As a matter of fact, that kind of compulsion is a handicap for a director. I’ve seen that happen in cases where the husband and wife have been cast opposite each other in films. I prefer the vacuum of not being cast, though I’ve acted in films written by him.

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2. OM says:

   March 6, 2009 at 12:34 pm

   @Pavan..saw the interview just yesterday and was bowled over..a sensitive chord struck somewhere, hence thought, PFC readers would feel the same.

   This is an awesome interview too, that you have pasted here. Do you have any video interviews of Rakhee?

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3. Aniruddha says:

   March 6, 2009 at 2:12 pm

   OM bhai…this is the first time I am watching it…thanks soooo much…what an interview!!!!

   The way Rakhee handled the separation question…what a dignified way…it actually doubled my respect towards her…

   I wish more interviews were like this…

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