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Catch this rare and unseen conversation with Atul Agnihotri. While many today know him as Salman Khan’s jija, he had his own league in the 90s, sharing the screen with popular stars like Salman Khan, Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Sanjay Dutt and more. He was also paired with some of the most glamorous actresses of the era, including Pooja Bhatt, Mamta Kulkarni, Karisma Kapoor, Sonali Bendre and Kajol. In this nostalgic interview, Atul talks about his first impressions of his leading ladies, his admiration for them and the off-screen bonds he shared with his co-stars. From candid memories to behind-the-scenes stories, this conversation is packed with pure 90s Bollywood nostalgia that you can't miss. Catch these vintage tales only on Lehren!

#atulagnihotri #veergati #salmankhan #poojabhatt #karismakapoor #mamtakulkarni #sonalibendre #90sbollywood #lehren #lehrenretro #exclusive #interview

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Transcript
00:00I never had a sense of competition. If I had a competition with someone, it was my own.
00:05The energy level of charisma when she dances is amazing.
00:09With charisma, there is always a competition to match her energy level that she puts in all whatever she does.
00:14I have done nothing to come till here. I have just been persistent.
00:18I am proud that I have to do something in this line. I am proud of anything.
00:21What do you want to do with your interview?
00:26Like I am doing an interview with you.
00:28Because I am comfortable in interviewing with you.
00:33That is, you are an instinctive actor.
00:42That is and you feel that you have done because of that whole, everything made you feel comfortable.
00:48So you very comfortably did your shots.
00:50Sometimes you are uncomfortable or court martial.
00:53You can make out from the body language.
00:56You do not have a rivalry with Salman?
00:59It is not possible with Salman, but it is not with me.
01:04I have always been working with people like this.
01:06In the first picture, Nana Padekar, Nasiruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Sanjeda, Taditya Pancholi, Mithuan.
01:14I have been working with people like this.
01:16And I knew that all that is asked of me is that you do your work and do your best.
01:24That is all that matters.
01:26I have never had a sense of competition.
01:28If I had a competition with someone, it was my own.
01:31I have never had a good game.
01:35I have never had a good game.
01:36You know, because he has double hero set up.
01:41Like if Salman is there, Salman is being casted in this film because of a reason for an image.
01:59If you just do that, your work will be appreciated.
02:11You don't have to compete.
02:13You know.
02:14You know.
02:14It is possible that if two boys have the same image.
02:17If it is my image of a girl, then that comes that sense of competition.
02:23If you are doing a comedy film and both are the same kind of roles, then there is straight competition.
02:28But not in a subject like this where both roles are different.
02:32Because competition is not possible.
02:33I think you are superstitious about what?
02:39Superstitious?
02:43I really like faith.
02:47I really like it.
02:48I really like it.
02:51Because I started as an assistant director for 4 years.
02:55I have even done editing.
02:57I have been a production boy.
02:59Now I have come to here.
03:01So I believe a lot in faith.
03:03I have done nothing to come to here.
03:08I have just been persistent.
03:10I am strong.
03:12I have to do something in this line.
03:14But I am strong.
03:18Because in the process of my journey till here,
03:23I have seen a lot of people who were talented and good looking.
03:31I felt that there is no one.
03:33And nothing happened.
03:34It is really sad.
03:36Where in front of some people I felt that I was not as talented as them.
03:40But today I am in a better position than them.
03:41So I believe a lot in faith.
03:44What has to happen will happen.
03:46You know.
03:46Any color, shirt or days, anything like this you believe in?
03:50No, no.
03:52I just believe in leading life on a day to day basis.
03:57Your mortal life?
03:58Is to lead life on a day to day basis.
04:00You should live your life on a day basis.
04:05What happened before it happened?
04:06What happened after it happened?
04:07What happened before it happened?
04:09It is a small life.
04:11If you think about your age,
04:1420 or 30 years old.
04:17How do you think about 35 years?
04:18If you think about it,
04:21you will not know.
04:22So the next year,
04:2335 years also will go like this.
04:25Or 25 years or 10 years will go like this.
04:28So for now,
04:29what is happening now?
04:31What is happening now?
04:31What is happening now?
04:32That is the most important.
04:33Can you tell me an anecdote with Puja?
04:36Particularly in the first anime.
04:39What is an interesting anecdote with Puja?
04:42When I came back with Puja,
04:43I had a taken's experience in my husband.
04:49I had a moment when I came back home.
04:50As I was rather an old man,
04:51I was an old man named Rauhul Roy and Anu Rauhle.
04:55and I had a picture for him.
04:58My daddy named him,
05:01I was dedicated to meet with her.
05:03I would visit him with a high school,
05:04and he would visit him with him.
05:06So I knew her,
05:09hi, hello, hi, base.
05:10I knew her. So, I was not uncomfortable with her, I was not uncomfortable, I didn't get any new director,
05:18no cameraman, no new unit, no new people. So, it did help.
05:26Your impression about her? First impression.
05:35Impression? Pooja portrayed sincerity to her work.
05:45Determination was always. I could see it even before. This was much before she became the Pooja Bhatt that she
05:52is today.
05:53But, there was an element of determination then.
05:59There is an aim, an ambition. You can make out when a person constructively works towards it.
06:06Sir's first schedule was running. And in Sir's climax, there was a black shirt.
06:12So, there was a song.
06:13There was a song.
06:17And at the end of the song, I entered the party.
06:21I hurt myself and I'm bleeding.
06:24I'm beating my throat. I'm entering the party.
06:27So, I go to her and Pooja, she's wearing a shirt.
06:30There was a shot from there.
06:33She's laughing and I look at the back.
06:36So, the shot was running. What happens in the song?
06:38What happens in the song is that they give a little bit of a build-up.
06:40You know, glisten and control the shot.
06:44So, suddenly, I'm getting to know them.
06:46She says, you're wearing my father's shirt.
06:50I didn't know what happened.
06:51And the shot is going to start.
06:53So, I said, it's not your father's shirt.
06:56But, I said, yeah, maybe he has the same shirt.
06:59But, it's not your father's shirt.
07:00And suddenly, that cue came in a turn and we look back.
07:04And a shot, a very good shot. Okay, no?
07:06And I first started laughing. I said, we're having the most insane conversation before the shot.
07:10You're arguing whether this shirt I'm wearing is mine or your father's.
07:14It was an insane conversation going on.
07:16And, you know, a capella schedule, another thing is going on.
07:20And she's like, she's holding my shirt and crying.
07:22She's like, you're wearing my father's shirt.
07:24And I said, it's not your father's shirt.
07:26The shot is running. You know, it's quite funny.
07:28It's the same thing about charisma, can you say?
07:32Your impressions. I want to go to charisma, mahta.
07:36Charisma, I don't make impressions of people, really.
07:42I take people at face value.
07:46The way they come, the way they are with you is the way.
07:55That's all that matters to me.
08:00I've had no problem with charisma.
08:02Charisma has been a very sporting, very cooperative co-star and a fantastic dancer.
08:05Charisma, if you're doing scenes, you can still survive.
08:09You can still do your bit.
08:12But, Charisma Kapoor means, she's phenomenal.
08:17She's phenomenal.
08:18The energy level of charisma when she dances is amazing.
08:25Charisma has always a competition to match her energy level that she puts in whatever she does.
08:31An instance, like, is he a Ghanary convention?
08:38Ghanary was shooting a little bit, a potion shoot, and I said, Saroji, how's it going?
08:44She said, Saroji said, right now my problem is not making you dance, but to make charisma and you match,
08:50I think you have to make charisma dance a little less.
08:52So, with her, it's been, she's very friendly to my wife and they know each other.
09:05So, it was more, it was, like I've said, I've always had a nice warm, friendly relationship with most of
09:15my co-stars.
09:15She knew my wife, my wife was there, and it kind of makes the whole process of working not a
09:21very costa-costa kind of relationship.
09:23It makes working with a person you know, a person you like.
09:28Interesting anecdote with her, anything?
09:30Yes, I was shooting a little bit, and the bike that I used was like, it's like a horse, a
09:38huge bike.
09:41So, I came to the location and I said, it's such a big bike, it's a high suspension, how can
09:47I handle it?
09:48So, I took it for test-drive.
09:51Powerful, very fast bike.
09:52Powerful, very fast bike.
09:52In the helicopter shots, I was riding the bike at about 100-110 km an hour.
09:59Fast bike.
10:00So, we were shooting at a crater, and it was a sharp bend.
10:06So, when I was in the 10th grade, my confidence was coming.
10:10It was over-confident.
10:11So, I was taking that turn, and this is just before we're going to start shooting with the song.
10:16And I was taking the turn, and I lost control of the bike.
10:19So, I lost control of the bike, so I left the bike, and I fell off.
10:22And, to Karishma's bad luck, and to mine, Karishma was looking at the distance.
10:30Now, next shot, how do I do the bike?
10:34So, it didn't happen, fortunately.
10:36I didn't have anything on the bike.
10:38So, in Karishma's face, it fell off.
10:43So, she was so fast.
10:44She was already so fast, she didn't know.
10:46She says, I'm not going to sit on the bike.
10:49And I'm like, what am I going to say?
10:51I can't even say, I can ride, or I'm good on the bike, because I've just fallen in front of
10:56her.
10:57So, I was sitting in front of the whole unit.
10:58Look, there's nothing going to happen.
11:00There's a song on the bike.
11:02And, that's one of my first proper schedules, Karishma.
11:07I was scared of her.
11:09With Mamta?
11:09With Mamta, there was a first schedule of Love Rap.
11:13And, after Sir's release, there was a shooting of Karanthivir.
11:21And, after the release of Sir's release, there was a shooting of Karanthivir.
11:21And, Karanthivir's song was played after the short shot.
11:27And, after the short shot of Love Rap.
11:39I was reserved in the morning.
11:41I was reserved.
11:42I mean, like I told you, if somebody comes and talks to me, I'll talk to the person.
11:47So, how do you do that in boxing match?
11:50One ring, one corner, one corner, and one corner.
11:53And, the other corner.
11:54And, the other corner of my shooting.
11:56And, the other corner of our shooting.
11:58And, the other corner of my shooting, I'm writing a book, I'm doing something.
12:02I will give you a shot, ready, shot, and then back.
12:05So, Karanthir was not my mother's story.
12:09So, now that we meet,
12:14Similarly with Sonali Bendrev,
12:17I had a memorial match for Raj Kapoor,
12:20I talked about Sonali Bendrev for about 12 minutes.
12:24I said,
12:25I don't have to talk about Sonali Bendrev,
12:28I don't have to talk about how much time we have spoken.
12:31It happens sometimes when you work with someone,
12:36where you have your own reservations and all that.
12:40So, with Sonali and Mamata,
12:41I did not get about talking to them only.
12:44We just did the film like,
12:46Hi, good morning, how are you?
12:47Good night.
12:48That's all.
12:49That's it.
12:50Do you have some preconceived emotions about Mamata?
12:56No.
12:57No.
12:59I've fortunately had very good co-stars.
13:01I've always had good co-stars.
13:02But, Bori Gota,
13:03when I was working with you,
13:05no room of the person,
13:06and you talked, you know?
13:07Look, that was my confused mind.
13:09I had to shift 3-3 charge.
13:12I didn't have to stay at work.
13:14I had to stay at 16 hours.
13:15So, at that point of time,
13:17the phase,
13:18you just do your shots,
13:19you go to the next shooting,
13:20you do your shots,
13:20sleep 4 hours,
13:21sleep in the car,
13:22sleep in the make-up room,
13:24that phase.
13:25But, a song like,
13:27Lovecraft,
13:27without knowing a person,
13:29it's not difficult.
13:30You get money.
13:33To fake an emotion.
13:36Okay.
13:37Okay.
13:38Good night.
13:38See you.
13:38Good night.
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