Sixteen films over 32 years is a rare and fruitful collaboration. And if Priyadarshan had his way, he would continue to cast Asrani in every Hindi movie he made. In fact, the filmmaker’s upcoming movie Haiwaan marks the veteran actor’s last work before he passed away on October 20. “I shot with Asrani sir just a week ago. It was his last shot,” shares Priyadarshan.
Over the last week, the director was filming Haiwaan with Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. Asrani had a prominent role in the action thriller, like he did in most Priyadarshan movies — from Malamaal Weekly (2006) to Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007) and the upcoming Bhooth Bangla. “Two days before [his demise], he had come on the sets and told me that he was in such pain that he couldn’t stand. He had travelled to Indore by car, and the roads were so bad that he got back pain. I told him to rest that day. Next day we shot, but he was still in so much pain that I kept a chair for him in the shot. He completed his shot very well. Then we had only one day’s work left with him, where he had to sit at the police station. But we couldn’t shoot it,” rues the director.
Priyadarshan first heard about Asrani’s demise from his leading man. The director says that Kumar was shattered by the news, having developed a strong bond with the senior actor over so many movies. “Akshay was so depressed. He called me and said, ‘Sir, I worked with Asrani sir recently in two films, and I can’t believe he is gone.’ Akshay was in tears. Every time we shot with Asrani sir, he’d sit with him. One day [during the shoot], Akshay, Rajpal Yadav, and the others called me over; they were all listening to Asrani sir’s advice. He told us, ‘As an actor or a director, never produce a film. I made that mistake and lost a lot of money. Decide what you’re good at and stick to it.’ Akshay took care of Asrani sir and made sure he was comfortable in every shot.”
The filmmaker had first seen Asrani in Mere Apne (1971) and the performance stayed with him. When Priyadarshan made Gardish (1993), he roped in the veteran actor, beginning a union that would last many years. “Asrani sir was never a comedian, but a complete actor. I made 16 films with him, which is more than Hrishikesh Mukherjee did with him. He’d tell me, ‘Other filmmakers are forgetting me. So every time you sign me for a film, [they remember me] and I get five more offers.’”