‘At 88, It’s Difficult To Get Roles…’

‘If
I
got
more
work,
I
would
do
even
more!
Recently,
I
did
the
Tanishq
ad.’
‘I
keep
working
because
I
am
fit.
I
love
acting,
that
is
my
relaxation.’

Forget
the
clichéd
paradox
about
a
clown
hiding
tears
behind
a
smile.

Shubha
Khote
is
one
comedienne,
who
has
laughter
constantly
bubbling
within
herself
and
gives
constant
expression
to
her
‘Don’t
worry
be
happy’
worldview.

Now
in
her
late
80s,
the
veteran
comic
actress,
who
has
been
part
of
memorable
films
like

Seema,
Paying
Guest,
Chhoti
Bahen,
Anari,
Golmaal
and

Ek
Duuje
Ke
Liye,
still
lives
and
laughs
to
the
fullest.

In
this
two-part
interview,
Shubha
Khote
tells



Rediff.com
Senior
Contributor

Dinesh
Raheja,
“In
life,
I
take
things
as
they
come.
I
don’t
worry
too
much.

Dekha
jayega.
And
I
laugh
a
lot.
I
can
look
out
to
the
window,
see
the
birds
doing
something
funny,
and
find
it
amusing.”

If
may
ask,
how
old
are
you?

I
am
88
years
old
now.
And

maze
mein
as
always.

That
makes
you
our
oldest
actress
working
presently!
You
have
spent
your
80s
doing
films
(Double
XL,
Toilet:
A
Love
Story),
television
(Spy
Bahu)
and
numerous
ads
(Amul
Chhas,
Vikram
Tea).
What
are
your
thoughts
on
this
unusual
longevity?

If
I
got
more
work,
I
would
do
even
more!

Recently,
I
did
the
Tanishq
ad.

Unfortunately,
at
this
age,
it
is
difficult
to
get
roles.
I
keep
working
because
I
am
fit.
I
love
acting,
that
is
my
relaxation.

Is
it
awkward
when
everyone
is
much
younger
than
you
on
the
sets?

When
they
take
my
blessings,
I
feel
old.
Otherwise,
I
don’t
feel
old
(laughs).

Today,
you
are
our
link
to
the
Golden
Age
of
Hindi
Cinema
of
the
1950s
and
1960s.
What
is
your
assessment
of
those
days?

The
film
world
was
much
smaller
then;
there
were
not
too
many
artistes.
It
was
like
a
family.

After
every
silver
jubilee,
there
would
be
a
party
and
we
would
meet
up.

Looking
back,
I
have
so
many
happy
memories.
I
worked
peacefully
from
9
to
6
and
got
good
roles
with
the
best
directors.

Thanks
to
my
father,
I
had
a
stage
background
so
I
never
feared
acting,
no
matter
who
was
cast
opposite
me.

I
adored
Dilip
Kumar
but
unfortunately,
I
never
worked
with
him.

Rajsaab
(Kapoor)
was
very
friendly
because

Anari
was
shot
at
RK
Studios
which
was
like
working
at
his
house.

Dev
Anand
was
very
polished
but
I
disliked
working
in

Paying
Guest
with
him
because
I
hated
playing
a
negative
role.

Somehow,
you
were
funny-negative.
In

Ek
Duuje
Ke
Liye,
when
you
huffed
and
puffed
up
the
steps
to
pursue
your
daughter
Rati
Agnihotri,
it
evoked
laughter.

People
thought
I
really
couldn’t
climb
those
steps
whereas
I
was
fit
then.
That
was
acting!
(Laughs).

You
have
a
ready
laugh.
In
your
first
film

Seema
(1955),
you
sing

Baat
Baat
Mein
Rootho
Na,
Apne
Aap
Ko
Koso
Na.
Would
you
say
you
have
followed
the
same
philosophy
in
life?

Absolutely.
My
favourite
line
from
the
song
is:

Tum
Jo
Hanse
Toh
Hans
Degi
Duniya,
Rona
Padega
Akele.

In
life,
I
take
things
as
they
come.

I
don’t
worry
too
much.

Dekha
jayega.

I
laugh
a
lot.
I
can
look
out
to
the
window,
see
the
birds
doing
something
funny,
and
find
it
amusing.

I
believe
laughter
helps
you
live
longer.

I
am
proof
of
that!

In
Hindi
cinema,
a
comedienne
is
a
rarity,
and
you
are
even
more
unique
because
you
didn’t
rely
on
a
physical
trait
to
draw
laughs.

That
is
why
I
came
to
films.

My
aim
was
not
to
become
a
heroine,
but
to
become
a
comedian.

There
was
no
other
comedienne,
so
there
was
very
little
competition.

Also
exceptional
for
the
1950s
was
that
you
were
a
sportswoman
and
a
graduate
from
Wilson
College
when
you
made
your
debut
with

Seema.

I
finished
my
college
studies
in
English
Literature
with
French
when
Amiya
Chakraborty
saw
photographs
of
mine
and
cast
me
in

Seema.

It
helped
that
I
was
a
national
level
cyclist
and
the
story
required
my
character
to
chase
a
thief
on
a
cycle.

But
I
suffered
a
very
bad
accident
while
shooting
that
sequence.

In
those
days,
Mumbai’s
Linking
Road
was
being
constructed
and
I
fell
on
the
gravel.

The
complete
left
side
of
my
face
was
badly
injured
but
fortunately,
I
recovered
fast.

I
have
had
seven
major
accidents
in
my
career
and
that
is
not
counting
the
dozens
of
aches
and
sprains.

Did
you
give
up
on
sports
after
films?

My
last
race
was
on
the
day

Seema
was
premiered.

I
won
the
race
and
then
dressed
up
for
the
premiere.

Before
I
could
lose,
I
gave
up
(laughs).

After

Seema‘s
success,
you
were
romantically
paired
opposite
Sunil
Dutt
in

Didi
and
you
sing
the
famous

Tum
Mujhe
Bhool
Bhi
Jao
Toh
Yeh
Haq
Hai
Tumko.

Yes,
that
is
a
very
popular
song,
but
people
don’t
know
it
was
filmed
on
me.

You
liked
being
made
to
look
beautiful
on
screen?

I
never
bothered
about
my
looks.

Acting
was
more
important
for
me.

I
remember
I
had
104
degree
fever
yet
I
went
and
shot
for

Champakali.

Did
Nutan
and
you
grow
friendly
after
film-makers
cast
you
two
repeatedly
in

Seema,
Paying
Guest
and

Anari?

We
became
very
close
friends.
On
the
sets,
we
would
share
our

dabbas
while
chattering
away
in
Marathi.

She
became
my
friend,
philosopher
and
guide
and
would
help
me
with
my
makeup
if
the
makeup
man
was
not
available.

I
have
stayed
at
her
house
in
Chembur
(suburban
Mumbai).