For years, we wondered what this event was as the images of Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Sangeeta Bijlani, Chiranjeevi together on stage were all over the net with no caption or context! Finally, a page out of Star & Style came to the rescue! The now-defunct tabloid, that was so popular in the early days that it published two editions a month, had this write-up about Chiranjeevi's first foray into Bollywood, after a record-breaking career in Telugu cinema. The film went on to be Pratibandh, did decent business but Chiranjeevi's career never reached the heights he hoped it would in the Hindi belt; he went on to do Aaj ka Goonda Raj and The Gentleman.
Pratibandh got Juhi Chawla a lot of acclaim and even a Best Actress nomination, Chiranjeevi got lukewarm reception at the time in Bombay media. Rumour has it, Sridevi was the original choice for leading lady but negotiations fell regarding dates and remuneration.
More images in the archive here.
Superstar Launched
Chiranjeevi is his name. And he needs no introduction anywhere in the South. Will he click in Hindi films too?
When the superstar of Telugu films steps into Hindi films--it is an occasion important enough for the Bombay press to be air-dashed to Madras. In Madras, we discover, that Chiranjeevi has 106 releases to his credit, that the price he gets would make Bombay stars seem like junior artistes, that he dances like Govinda, is as versatile as Anil Kapoor and as choosy as Dilip Kumar. And so they call him a megastar!
Unlike Bombay mahurats, the mahurat shot scheduled for 2.26pm took place on the dot with Sridevi the guest of honour arriving at 2.23pm! In all other respects it seemed like Bombay--most of Bombay was there. Anil Kapoor with brother Boney, Satish Kaushik, Javed Akhtar, Anupma Kher, Madhuri Dixit, Anand Balraj, Amrish Puri, Alok Nath, all shooting next door for Jamaai Raja, were there. Bhanupriya and Rajinikant turned up to wish their colleague.
Chiranjeevi, in a black shirt and trousers, faced the camera while Sridevi gave the clap, Anil witched on the camera and Madhuri Dixit lit the lamp. The leading lady, Juhi Chawla was busy shooting in Bombay. The producer of the filmi turned out to be Chirnjeevi's brother-in-law Allu Arvind and the director Ravi Raja.
Chiranjeevi then met the local and the Bombay press for an informal chat in a specially erected shamiana. Megastars in the South don't ban the press*, you see. He is a friendly guy, modesty is his first name and he is not afraid of being honest.
Chiranjeevi makes his debut in Hindi films with the remake of a Telugu film, Ankusham, opposite Juhi Chawla. He plays the role of a serious inspector while Madan Jain plays the second lead of a journalist. Sitting in his make-up room at Vauhini Studios, Chiranjeevi said that while one shooting was done, on another stage another unit was waiting for him to complete an hour's work.
"Would it be an offfence to do such a thing in Bombay? Are they strictly, following the one shift rule?" he asked earnestly. Chiranjeevi himself does not work in more than four films simultaneously. But then films in the South are completed in a matter of months. If a film takes seven months, it's considered a delayed project!
"I am not nervous about coming to Bombay," he said. "In fact, it is my confidence that has seen me through these years. I am not worried about my Hindi because it was my second language in college. In Hyderabad, we lived in a Muslim locality, that helped too. But ever since we've moved to Madras, there hasn't been occasion to use it. I am worried about the accent. I think that is where we South Indian actors are at fault. So I am going to work very hard on my accent. one thing is for sure, I will never let anyone dub for me."
Has he ever wondered why South Indian actors are rejected by the North Indian audience while the South girls rule the most? "I know South Indian..."
Star & Style
Feb 16-28, 1990.
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