Amol Palekar recalled that there were only three actors who would show up on time — Dev Anand, Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan.
Veteran actor Amol Palekar, who first gained appreciation in Hindi films in the 1970s with films like Gol Maal and Chhoti Si Baat, recently revealed that the south Indian film industries were far more professional than the Hindi film industry even back in the 1970s. Palekar recalled that there were only three actors in Hindi movies who would show up on time, and he was one of them.
Talking to Rajshri Unplugged, Amol recalled, “There were only three actors in our time who used to show up on time, and I was the most junior in that list. First was Dev Anand, if he was required at 9 am, he would be there sharp at 9. Second was Amitabh Bachchan, on dot every time, anywhere. Third was me.”
Amol recalled that he was once shooting in the same studio as Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth, and noticed that while Bachchan would always show up on time, Rajinikanth would come much before he was required. “Amitabh always used to be on time and Rajinikanth would arrive even earlier, ready with make up. He would come and sit there with the spot boys, light boys.
He would sit with them on the bench and talk with them, have tea with them. And at the given time, if the shift is at 9, he would go up to the director at 9 and say, ‘Yes sir, I am ready’,” he said.
Amol recalled that there was a trend in the Hindi film industry where showing up late had become a sign of one’s stardom. “There was a trend here in the Hindi film industry that the bigger the star, he would arrive that much later, or the one who arrives late is the bigger star. I found this extremely unprofessional,” he said and added, “All these wrong trends were not there in the south film industries.”
Amol worked in various regional films and found that environment to be extremely professional. “I found the south Indian film industry to be so much more professional, extremely well equipped and without any how do I put it? We have a lot more frills. That’s not the culture there. They are all very humble, very nice people to work with. I used to enjoy working there,” he said.
He noted that the culture of the Hindi film industry has now changed dramatically as the younger generation of actors are much more prepared, arrive on time and know their lines.
Source : Indian express
