PURU RAJ KUMAR

A SECOND LEASE OF LIFE
I walk into his Juhu residence and out comes this tall fair guy in khadaus (read sanyasi wooden slippers) all in white, totally in contrast with the character he played in the recently released Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai. He ushers me in to this well designed glass room, with low seating arrangements overlooking the lawns. I breathe in the air and feel the presence of the enigmatic, late Raaj Kumar, and imagine him having spent many an evening in this very ambience. I shudder not so much from the memory but from the fact that I am alone with this light-eyed villain from HDAPH, and remember the namashkar he does, which was his trademark, through the film. I plonk on the carpet and he immediately follows suit. The chainsmoker puts me quickly at ease as we get talking. Here goes:

You started your film career with the mega-opus, Bal Brahmachari opposite the now-hot Karisma Kapoor. The film failed to click. What went wrong?
You see one cannot really pinpoint at any given stage as to why some things click and others don’t. In likewise, I really have no clue whatsoever as to why my film career did not take off the way it was supposed to. Your guess is as good as mine.

Why the one-and-half-year sabbatical from films? Where were you all this while?
Oh I was pretty much around. It’s just that to me my family comes first, now and always. And unfortunately, I just had to take a break. As they say in life, one has to pay a price for every thing and so this too cost me dearly.

Now that you are back on the scene again, in your second inning, what are your plans for the future?
I find this whole business of second or third inning totally skewed. So cool, I wasn’t here, as in acting. Now I am. So what’s the big deal? Now that I am back, I intend to stay.

From a lead role in your first film, you’ve now stooped to playing a rapist villain in your second. Why?
It was nothing as dramatic as you make it sound. It’s just that Satish Kaushik had offered me another role in some other film as a second lead but for some reason unknown to me that film didn’t happen the way it was planned. Then Satish started doing Hdaph. The role, though it cannot be termed a villain’s in the conventional sense, it did have negative traits.I would say there were human tendencies.

It’s only natural for a guy (and believe me there are guys like this) who is young and hot headed to think in terms of how my character does, “How dare a girl put my elder brother behind bars?I’ll show her!” Of course,initially I did have reservations about playing a rapist but when Satish explained to me that this was no small role,meaning that the film revolved around the rape scene and its repercussions, I was convinced enough to agree to do it.

And?
I am real pleased with the results. I have been getting a positive response as an aftermath to the negative act. People are praising my work in the film and it pleases me no end. I think it was the right decision. In fact, the other day, I went to Chandan Theatre to watch the film and after the show, we were waiting outside when this group of young girls began to coo, “Puru, we love you.” I was amazed, it definitely felt good. In the West, there are no set rules as to what kind of role a hero should play. It’s just out here, in our industry, that the hero is supposed to ooze godliness. But slowly I feel times are changing and we are changing, too.

So you do not regret making a negative comeback?
Not at all. Why should I? The comeback may have been negative but the welcome has been positive. Also the results were exactly as promised in terms of role and length.

How was it, working with Anil Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai?
Anil Kapoor is simply amazing. If he’s lasted in this industry for the last 22 years and is still going great guns, he’s got to be. It was a pleasure working with him. Aishwarya was good too. As an artiste she has evolved and matured a great deal with each outing.

What future projects do you have in hand?
Well, for starters I’m doing Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Mission Kashmir, where I play a terrorist. The plot of the film actually begins with me. Then I have a film titled Wadh, with Nana Patekar and Anupama Verma. I am also doing a second lead film with Sharbani Mukerji called Aap Jaisa Koi Nahi.

How does it feel to be the son of the legendary Raj Kumar?
Though I loved and respected my father dearly, I was mortally scared of him, as well. He was a stern disciplinarian and we were all in awe of him. But it’s sad how sometimes the extreme success of somebody can really hamper their near and dear ones.

It tends to work against you when all and sundry expect you to behave, walk, talk and even sound like him. People expect me to be Raj Kumar Part Two and that simply is not possible. I am my own person with my own idiosyncrasies. And many a times, fixed notions work against me in this industry.

Which of his films are your favourites?
Bulandi and Karamyogi, are two films I personally liked a lot.
Are you a good mimic? Can you speak in his tone, and say, “Jaani,” the way he used to?

I cannot. As far as his takiya kalaam jaani, goes I don’t even know how it went on to become his trademark.
Did the fact that you were his son propel you into taking up acting as a career?
nI majored in psychology so this was way away from my mind as a career option. I had always enjoyed acting but had never thought of making it my profession. Circumstances were such that I took the plunge.

Looking back in time, any regrets?
My only regret in life is my father passed away before he even got to see my first film.

Savvy Gehna Mehra