Veteran actor Shekhar Suman has opened up about the films that defined his career, his enduring love for his 1984 debut ‘Utsav’, and what it felt like to work alongside Rekha and Shashi Kapoor as a complete newcomer. He also reflected on destiny, nepotism, and why ‘Utsav’ deserves a second life on the big screen.
Shekhar Suman wants ‘Utsav’ back i.
In conversation with India Today, Shekhar Suman traced his journey through some of his most memorable characters, highlighting the range each role demanded. “My first film, ‘Utsav’, was so different from the way I am, and that character was very different.With re-releases becoming a mainstream trend in Bollywood, Suman believes the Shashi Kapoor-produced classic is perfectly placed for a comeback. He said, “Aaj hi release hone chahiye (It should be re-released today). It was way ahead of its time. And today, I think people would have really appreciated that, the kind of music, costumes, cinematography, and jo mahal banaya tha (the palace that was built), which was so beautiful. So, so beautiful. Rekha looked like a billion bucks.”He also revealed a lesser-known fact about the film: “It was shot in two versions, in English and Hindi. Where’s the English version gone? No one knows. It was not released in English. But you know, those films are very rare.”
Shekhar Suman talks about ‘Utsav’ co-star Rekha
In the same conversation, Suman recalled the weight of expectation on his very first day of shooting. “I remember the first shot, the first day of the shooting, and I was like, ‘There’s so much on my head, and so much Shashi Kapoor ji had betted on me.’ I hoped I wouldn’t let him down; that was driving me nuts at that time. But thanks to my theatre background, I could hold on.”The reassurance, when it came, was unforgettable. He said, “I remember Rekha ji praising me a lot, and Girish Karnad, Shashi Kapoor, ‘it’s extremely well done, and you’re a fantastic actor,’ and all of that just stayed with me.”Before starring alongside Rekha, Suman had once stood anonymously in a crowd watching her shoot. “I remember once I had come to Bombay, and I was taken to a shooting. She was shooting with Mr. Shatrughan Sinha, and I was standing in the crowd, just looking at her like that. I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Rekha, that’s fantastic’. Little did I know that, three-four years later, I would be working with her,” he recalled.Of working with her, he said, “I was enamoured by her, absolutely. Not intimidated, but yes, definitely in awe of her. She’s extremely dedicated and a powerful performer. When she’s in a scene, you feel that the character has come alive.”
Shekhar Kapur addresses nepotism
Suman credited Shashi Kapoor’s belief in fresh talent as the turning point of his life. He said, “And it was thanks to people like Shashi Kapoor, who’s a great producer, who believed in a newcomer like me. They talk about nepotism — imagine, he just picked me up from nowhere. Within about two weeks, I had just come to Bombay, and after two months, I was shooting with (him). It’s unimaginable for a newcomer to come and land such a role. But such is destiny,” he said.
More about Shekhar Suman
On the work front Shekhar Suman was recently seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Heeramandi’. He will next feature in Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘King’, Prakash Raj’s ‘Jan Aadesh’, and ‘Reporting Life’.
