Anupam Kher got up to offer his seat to Rajesh Khanna at a party, Mahesh Bhatt yelled at him to sit back down: ‘He had an inferiority complex’

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He continued, “I was invited to one of those parties, and those days, I’d go wherever free alcohol would take me. I asked Anupam to come along. He brought his brother along as well. I introduced him to everybody, and we went and took seats in the balcony.” Kher interjected, “Duniya bhar ke stars wahan par (Every star was there).”

Bhatt proceeded with his story, “Rajesh Khanna, the legendary star, walked in with his girlfriend. He had such a charisma about him. Anupam took one look at him and started to get up from his seat. And I commanded him to sit right back down. ‘Sit down!’ I said. He understood why I told him to sit down. I didn’t tell him to sit down to throw attitude. There were so many empty seats, why was he offering his? I saw a large-hearted man in him, but he had an inferiority complex.”

Bhatt said that everybody who comes to Mumbai to enter the world of films has an inferiority complex, because they want to emulate their screen idols. Kher has often told the story of how he nearly gave up on his dreams and returned home because he’d been replaced by Bhatt in Saaransh, but just before leaving, he decided to give a piece of his mind to the filmmaker. Observing his passion and anger, Bhatt decided to put all his might behind getting him back on board the film.