Yash Chopra had lyrical approach to filmmaking: Raakhee Gulzar

Highlights

• Yesteryears actress Raakhee Gulzar, who did popular films like Daag, Kabhi Kabhie and Trishul with Yash Chopra, says he had a lyrical approach towards filmmaking.
• "Yash wasn't too heavily into technical aspects of filmmaking. He went by the heart. His approach to filmmaking was lyrical. There was no vulgarity about his presentation. And he was fascinated with femininity He had a certain image and vision of the ideal woman. You won't find his heroines behaving, dressing or talking loudly. There was a great dignity in his women. I really enjoyed the variety of roles," said Raakhee.
• "Yash was a thinker on the sets. He never raised his voice. I remember he used to put his hand in his coat and he'd stare towards the sky. What did he think about? I wonder! He had a great team to execute his vision," she added.
• Raakhee's movie association with Yash Chopra started in 1972 with the film Joshila and she later went on to do films like hugely popular Daag, Trishul, Kabhi Kabhie and Kaala Patthar.
• "The first time I worked with Yash was in Joshila in 1972 where I played the female lead with Dev Anand. Even before Joshila, Yash came to me with Ittefaq. I couldn't do that film because I was committed to do Jeevan Mrityu with director Satyen Bose," she said.
• "Joshila started my long association with two of my favourite film personalities Dev Anand and Yash Chopra. When Yash directed his first independent film I don't know why he chose me for Daag. I was relatively new at that time. People liked my character of Chandni (in Daag) and our connection continued," she added.
• Recalling how she was offered Kabhi Kabhie, Raakhee said, "When I married Gulzar, Yash became our neighbour. He then offered me Kabhi Kabhie after my marriage. I think Kabhi Kabhie was conceived keeping me in mind.
• "Lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, I think, wrote the songs keeping me in mind. Gulzar and I used to regularly visit Yash's home. One day in the presence Amitabh Bachchan they played a song and Pam (Yash Chopra's wife) said, 'This song is for Raakhee'. That's how Kabhi Kabhie was offered to me.
• "Yash Chopra said, 'I'd drop the film. But I won't make it with any other heroine. Since acting was the only thing I enjoyed, I agreed to do the film even after marriage," she said.
• Raakhee said the entire cast used to have a lot of fun while shooting for Kabhi Kabhie.
• "During the outdoor shooting of Kabhi Kabhie, I'd cook and the entire team would sit and eat together. I remember Yash and the whole team used to play games with coins worth Rs 5. We used to have a great time entertaining ourselves," said the 65-year-old.
• Raakhee reveals she often felt awkward shooting intense scenes with Amitabh Bachchan in the film, but Yash Chopra helped her get over it.
• "When we started shooting for Kabhi Kabhie I had to do intensely romantic scenes with Amitabh. That was a problem, since Amitabh and Jaya called me bahurani. So Kabhi Kabhie started on a note of conflict for me. The first day of shooting when Amitabh had to sing Sahir's romantic line to me while I had my hair in his lap, I felt so awkward. Yash helped me to get over awkwardness. Yash had great observation powers. The jewellery that I wore for my suhaag raat scene in the film were my own jewellery from my own wedding!" she said.