Dinesh Raheja

Zayed Khan and Esha Deol play the romantic lead in Sangeeth Sivan's Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne.

Did you know that many years before Esha was born, her mother Hema Malini and Zayed's father Sanjay Khan made a romantic team in Babul Ki Galiyan?

Dinesh Raheja shares some lesser known nuggets about the stars.

When Sanjay Khan and Jeetendra were newcomers on the film scene in the mid-1960s, the industry had pinned its hopes on Sanjay Khan because Rajshri's Dosti, in which he played a small but important role proved to be a hit. Most of the roles initially went to Sanjay while Jeetendra had to wait for the Raveekant Nagaich-directed spy thriller Farz for his career to zoom.

Guru Dutt's epic Pyaasa was to be made with Nargis and Madhubala in the roles Mala Sinha and Waheeda Rehman did eventually. But the two actresses couldn't decide upon which role they wanted to play and Dutt eventually opted for two still new actresses, Mala and Waheeda.

Sanjeev Kumar and Simi Garewal were both products of S Mukherjee's Filmalaya school of acting, from different batches. Later, when they met after having graduated to stardom, this would give rise to a show of camaraderie. Sanjeev and Simi would alternately rattle off lines from Shaadi Ka Prastav, a play that was part of their acting curriculum in Filmalaya.

Mehboob Khan, the maker of epic dramas Aan and Mother India, was a junior artiste with Saagar studios in the early 1930s before he got his break as a director with Al Hilal.

The lucky talisman of many a sixties hit, Sadhana, has acted in less than 30 films. Of which as many as five were double roles: Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saaya, Anita, Geeta Mera Naam and Mehfil. Interestingly, three of them -- Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saaya and Anita -- were directed by Raj Khosla. In Anita, we were introduced to half a dozen avatars of Sadhana (as varied as a wanton woman and a jogan). In the climax you learn the director had used the device of a 'lying flashback' and that there is only one Sadhana in the film.

Nanda is known for her gentle personality and soft roles, though she has also done experimental films like Naya Nasha. Thirty years ago, out of sheer curiosity she went to a newly-opened discotheque. But when she heard the deafening music, she was petrified and fled. She shudders, "I have never stepped in a disco since then, maine kaan pakkad liye. [I swore against discotheques]"

Since two of Shammi Kapoor's elder brothers, Devi and Bindi, passed away within a week of each other, his parents were very wary when he was due. While Shammi's eldest brother Raj and younger sister were born at home, Shammi's birth took place at Ajinkya hospital, Charni Road.

Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala did not exchange a word while shooting for a major part of Sanghursh. Even Kamal Haasan and Rati Agnihotri were not on talking terms after their hit Ek Dujje Ke Liye. Hema Malini also maintained a silence mode while shooting with Sanjeev Kumar for Dhoop Chhaon.

Kamal Amrohi was keen Sunil Dutt play the lead opposite Meena Kumari in O P Ralhan's Phool Aur Patthar but both Meena Kumari and Ralhan were convinced that rising star Dharmendra was the ideal choice for the role of the rugged ruffian.

Balraj Sahni, whose autobiography is a captivating read and who also wrote Dev Anand's Baazi, always carried his typewriter to the sets as he was extremely fond of writing.

Jeetendra was born and brought up in a modest chawl in Mumbai. After stardom when his family first shifted to a 700 square feet house with a big hall, his mother remarked, 'Yeh toh football ke maidan lagta hai. [This house looks like a football stadium].'

When Dharmendra was still a rugged-looking struggler in the late 1950s, a top director refused to cast him in his film suggesting that he should try his luck at becoming a hockey player.