Exclusive: I could get away with anything around Manoj Kumar, such was our bond, says Saira Banu

“Manoj invited us for the special screening of Kranti. When I watched the movie, I left without saying a word. Manoj came running after me to ask what I felt about the movie. I said, “It’s a very good film but there’s too little of Dilip saab in it.” He smiled and said, “You love him so much that you want him in every frame!”
Saira Banu is deeply upset over the loss of Manoj Kumar. She takes a pause and says, ‘What a terrible news to wake up to’, when we reach out to her over the phone. “He was an eminent director, producer, writer and most importantly, a wonderful man and most co-operative and helping co-star. Yusuf saab and I, we were extremely close to Manoj and his wife Shashi”, she adds.
Reflecting upon their bond and the films they did together, she revealed, “The love and respect Yusuf saab and I had for Manoj Kumar was beyond movies. There was no formality in our relationship. He would casually come over to talk to Yusuf saab and there was no concept of ‘phone karke aata hu’. They spoke in Punjabi and loved to fly kites on our terrace while munching on hot bhajiyan. Their common love for eggs also fascinated me. They would share recipes with each other on ‘different types to make an omlette’ (smiles).”

She adds, “He wanted me to work in ‘Upkar’ but I couldn’t do it as I was committed to other movies and I never did multiple films together. He was a bit disappointed with that. He later approached me for ‘Purab aur Pachhim’, saying he had written that subject keeping me in mind. The timing was tricky because at that point, I was about to get married to Yusuf saab and had decided that I won’t work in the movies post marriage. I also had Padosan yet to shoot. Yusuf saab was a wonderful man and he never imposed that on me but since he was a traveller and had moved to the south at the latter part of his career, had I continued to work too, we would just bump into each other at the airport. I wanted to spend time with my husband and be able to have a cup of tea with him in peace, so I decided I won’t work in films once married.

When Manoj Kumar heard of this, he came over and told Yusuf saab, “Raja saab, ek gal hai ji (he addressed his friend as Raja saab). If you are not going to allow Saira to do Purab aur Pachhim, I will burn the script and never make the film because I have written the subject for her. I request you to let her do it.” Yusuf saab replied, “I never stopped Saira from doing what she loves. She will do it.” Same happened for Padosan. Mehmood shifted the shoot from Mumbai to Chennai because I could be around Yusuf saab who was shooting Ram Aur Shyam there. Our shooting location was right next to each other so we were always together. I chose to do a select few films later on.”

Remembering Manoj Kumar, Saira Banu added, “He was extremely passionate about writing and was particular about what he wanted as a filmmaker. He had an eye for unique angles. I remember for this one sunrise scene in Purab aur Pachhim, he made us all wake up before sunrise, took us on the terrace of a village house, made me do a backbend (Kamaan) as an exercise and showed the sun rising through the back. I admired that imagination and vision as a filmmaker.”
Manoj was the most co-operative costar, recalls Saira. “When I started off, I was extremely shy. We did this film called ‘Shaadi’ together. Both of us were very young. This was right after my debut movie Junglee. I would get uncomfortable if anyone watched me act on set so I once asked him if he could go somewhere while my shot was on. His shot was soon after, but he was kind enough to go sit in his room and come back when he was called.”
On a concluding note, Saira shared a funny incident. “Manoj invited us for the special screening of Kranti. At that time in the 80’s, Yusuf saab had moved to doing iconic and significant characters that were not necessarily lead. Kranti was also a Manoj kumar movie. When I watched the movie, I left without saying a word. Manoj came running after me to ask what I felt about the movie. I said, “It’s a very good film but there’s too little of Dilip saab in it.” He smiled and said, “You love him so much that you want him in every frame!” He took it sportingly. I could get away with anything around him, that was our bond. His struggle with his health started in Kranti itself when there were reports that he had ordered a khatiya (bed) on set on which he would rest on and then direct and rest again. His passion for filmmaking will always be remembered and cherished.”