Dilip Kumar does a double take

.quot;I have eaten about 14 paans since morning for this song. In fact we have been shooting this number for the last four days, and it8217;s been the same story everyday,quot; says Mukul. He is dressed in an off-white silk dhoti-kurta with a jacket, and a multicoloured bandhani scarf, a la Jackie Shroff.

Suddenly the attention shifts to the entrance of the set as Dilip Kumar walks in wearing an outfit similar to Mukul8217;s. He is surrounded by autograph seekers and fans who8217;ve been waiting patiently to get photographed with the legend. He calmly brushes everyone aside and goes straight to Saroj Khan to discuss the shot.

The veteran actor listens patiently as she explains his routine. And after a couple of rehearsals he is ready for the take. The shot has a dozen extras dressed in white dhoti-kurtas and pink jackets surrounding Dilip Kumar and Mukul as the two dance to the lines Duniya hai nehla, hum nehle pe dehla8217;. The 77-year-old star goes through the shot with absolute ease, but there is some problem with the camera angle and there is a retake. This time there is a mix-up with the steps, and finally after four takes the shot is okayed.

quot;Dilip saab has a double role in this film. He is playing two brothers, one the hero and the other the villain, who dies in the beginning of the film itself. And his deeds bring all the other characters together. Mukul is the villain8217;s son, while Rekha is a classical dancer who has been raped by the bad man,quot; says Mehra, describing his film in a nutshell. For the next shot, Dilip Kumar drags Mukul by his scarf to the lines, Aage jo nikle koi humse chhaila / Sasure ko de ulta laafa jamaike8217;, and pretends to give him a good thrashing. Mukul promptly runs into mummy Smita Jaykar8217;s arms who is a silent witness to the proceedings. Dilip Kumar is unable to get the movements right. quot;Sab wrong ho gaya,quot; he tells Saroj Khan. After six takes, both are happy with the shot, and the crew starts preparing for the next scene.

quot;Even in my prime, I didn8217;t do too many films in a year. I prefer to refrain from over-exposure, because I think it interferes with your normal life,quot; says Dilip Kumar about his long absence from the silver screen. His last film Saudagar was released half a decade ago. Besides he only selects films which have strong plots. quot;You rarely get a good script or a good idea, and this has been the problem with Hindi cinema all along. I like to keep shifting to different kinds of roles. So I don8217;t feel exhausted, as I play varied characters all the time. Here I found a story with strong possibilities and decided to do it,quot; he says. But ask him about the song-and-dance routine at his age, and he brushes it off with, quot;The audience wants it. I am actually playing a serious character, but this song is a digression which is a necessary evil for all films.quot;