‘Manoj ji said he would shelve Purab Aur Paschim if I didn’t feature in it’

A wonderful man has left us today. Manoj Kumar ji and I worked together in Shaadi [1962], Purab Aur Paschim [1970], and Balidaan [1971]. As soon as my first film Junglee [1961] became a big hit, I received many offers, among which was Shaadi. I used to be awkward while doing romantic songs. I had requested my dance director Satya Narayan ji to have one of his dancers as a stand-in for me, for the first song, Aaj ki raat naya chand. Manoj ji was very understanding. When my solo shots were being filmed, he’d quietly move away from the set.  

A few years later, my family and I were attending a première at Metro cinema. After the film ended, I noticed Manoj ji at a distance, signalling something to my brother Sultan, but we could not reach him due to the crowd. The next day, he called my brother and suggested casting me in Upkar [1967]. I was also considered for Neel Kamal [1968]. Unfortunately, my dates were committed to other ventures. So, there went my chance of doing two films with Manoj ji!

Manoj Kumar at an event in 2008. Pic/Rane Ashish

His idol was Dilip [Kumar] Saab and when I married him, I could see that they both were close—always venturing together to make different types of omelettes, and indulging in sher-o-shayari. While shooting a scene in Aadmi [1969], Manoj ji started emulating Saab so much that Saab joked, “Yaar tu meri tarah shots kar le, main koi aur tarika nikalta hoon!”

After our shaadi, Saab and I had decided that I would not continue with my film career. But as luck would have it, one of the films I had signed just before the wedding was Purab Aur Paschim. After Saab and my wedding, Manoj ji came home and declared that he would shelve his project if Saab did not allow me to feature in it. Later, when I took ill during the shoot, Saab told Manoj ji that he could have me replaced. But Manoj ji said that he would rather shelve the film than replace me. I will always respect him for this magnanimous gesture.

Saira Banu and Manoj Kumar in Shaadi

In Balidaan [1971], Manoj ji played a dacoit. His wife Shashi was very close to us, and used to tell me, “How will he play a daaku? He won’t sit on the horse as he is very scared.” She joked that even if a bee came into the bedroom, Manoj ji would hide and tell her to drive it out.

When Dilip Saab starred in Kranti [1981], Manoj ji kept a special screening for me and my friends. After the show, when he asked me my thoughts about the movie, I said, “I missed seeing more of Saab in the movie.” To this, Manoj ji said that he wished that Saab would be in every frame.