Neelam Kothari recalls working with ‘quiet and reserved’ Rajesh Khanna in Ghar Ka Chiraag; says Aamir Khan is extremely ‘particular’: ‘He’d ask for retakes’

“He was actually very quiet and reserved on sets. He was extremely helpful because for me, Ghar Ka Chirag was a mature character. Working with a legend like him, automatically your reactions and expressions come out so beautifully because you’re working with such an amazing actor. I never imagined I’d be working with him!” she said.

Two years later, Neelam Kothari starred opposite Aamir Khan in the romantic drama Afsana Pyar Ka. In the same interview, Kothari recalled how she shot the track “Tip Tip” with the superstar in three days. “Sweetness was in the simplicity back then. And Aamir was amazing to work with. He was very, very particular about his scenes and performances. He would say, ‘Let’s do one more shot’ because he is that particular.”

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Another Khan she later collaborated with was Saif Ali Khan in Yash Chopra’s starrer Parampara, which marked his acting debut. In the 1993 film, Neelam Kothari said Saif Ali Khan was exactly how he is today: well-read, well-spoken and extremely funny.

“I still remember the one dialogue he had, ‘Pratap has landed,’ and Aamir, Raveena and I would crack up laughing every time he said it. I met Saif recently while filming Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives and he was reminding me how we shot a song in Switzerland.

“Now, we were in Switzerland and the foreigners were watching us. We were feeling cold and then Saroj Khan ji had given us a step which was like phugdi! We had to hold each other’s hands and jump in circles. Saif and I were so embarrassed doing that step in Switzerland. We re-enacted it for Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives and it was a lot of fun,” she said.