Raaj Kumar called everyone ‘Jaani’ after his dog’s name, was tougher than Bachchan: ‘He was moody’

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‘Raaj Kumar was a moody man’

“I called him over the phone one evening. We had planned the muhurat shot for the next day. If he doesn’t know the person’s face, he won’t do the film. The story comes second for him. As soon as he picked up the phone, I told him, ‘Raaj saab, let me share a line with you.’ He agreed. Handling him was tougher than handling Bachchan saab. Yes, Bachchan is a calculative person, but Raaj saab was moody,” the filmmaker noted.

He continued, “It’s easy to explain things to a calculative person. But when it comes to a moody person, it depends on their mood from time to time. The cow may give milk if it feels like it; if it doesn’t, it won’t. After hearing my scene description, he said it was good. I immediately requested him to do the movie then. His reply was that he couldn’t say no to me.”

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‘Raaj Kumar looked the same for 25-30 years’

Once their conversation turned to money matters, KC Bokadia said he offered Raaj Kumar more than he had sought. “I asked him how much he wanted. ‘How much did you pay me last time?’ he asked, to which I replied, ‘Rs 21 lakh.’ He asked me for a bigger amount. I said Rs 23 lakh, he asked for Rs 24 lakh, and I immediately offered him Rs 25 lakh. Along with that, I requested one more favour from him and requested him to join the project the very next morning, as the muhurat was scheduled for the next day.”

Although Kumar was shocked by that, Bokadia eventually convinced him. “He asked me how we would get the costumes ready on such short notice. I told him, ‘You have been looking the same for the past 25-30 years, so why do we need new clothes? I just want the muhurat shot to be yours.'” Kumar gave the muhurat shot, sporting the same yellow coat he wore in the song “Neele Gagan Ke Tale” in BR Chopra’s Hamraaz (1967).

Also starring Vinod Khanna, Meenakshi Seshadri, and Nagma in key roles, Police Aur Mujrim featured cinematography by Peter Pereira, editing by Govind Dalwadi, and music by Bappi Lahiri.

Disclaimer: This article reflects on historical cinematic anecdotes, lighthearted memories, and personal industry experiences shared by a filmmaker. It is intended strictly for informational and entertainment purposes.