"Don't do that again": Shehzad Khan on Ajit Khan's reaction to 'Andaz Apna Apna'
Shehzad Khan reveals why his father Ajit Khan was unhappy with his comic role in the cult classic Andaz Apna Apna.
Veteran actor Shehzad Khan, beloved for his iconic portrayal of 'Bhalla' in the 1994 cult classic Andaz Apna Apna, has shared a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes drama involving his legendary father, the iconic villain Ajit Khan.
While the film has achieved legendary status in Indian cinema, Shehzad revealed that his decision to mimic his father's distinctive mannerisms for the role did not sit well with the veteran actor.
A Father's Serious Image vs. Son's Comedy
The role of Bhalla required a specific creative direction from director Rajkumar Santoshi. According to Shehzad, Santoshi had a unique condition for the character: Shehzad was not to use his own voice, but instead had to enact the voice and style of his father, Ajit Khan.
Shehzad embraced the challenge, drawing heavily from his father's unique expressions and dialogue delivery. This was evident in his famous introduction scene where he delivered the line: "Mera naam hota hai Vinod, lekin saari duniya mujhe Bhalla ke naam se jaanti hai."
However, for Ajit Khan, who had spent years meticulously building a formidable and serious villainous persona, seeing his style used for comedy was a bitter pill to swallow. After watching the film, Ajit Khan reportedly gave his son a stern warning.
"My father said, 'Whatever stunt you pulled in Andaz Apna Apna, don't ever do it again.' He told me that he had worked hard for years to build a serious image, and I had turned it into a comedy," Shehzad recalled.
The Lost Comedy of Bhalla
Beyond the family friction, Shehzad also revealed that the version of Andaz Apna Apna seen by audiences was not the complete version. He disclosed that several comic punches and entire sequences were edited out of the final cut.
Unseen Scenes and Deleted Punches
Shehzad noted that his character had several additional moments that never made it to the screen. He specifically recalled a sequence involving himself, Paresh Rawal, and Viju Khote that occurred after the famous "Aap purush nahi, mahapurush hai" dialogue.
- The Lost Content: Shehzad mentioned he had 3-4 more significant comic punches that were removed.
- The Length: He suggested that if the full version had been released, the film would have been significantly longer.
- Re-release Potential: The actor believes that a re-release featuring these edited scenes would have been a massive hit with fans.