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Waiting for Rekha

Sharmila Taliculam

Director Harry Baweja wasn't amused. He was in a hurry... he needed to complete the shot. The sun was going down and he needed the light. But Madam Rekha wasn't too obliging.

We were on the sets of Prakash Mehra's Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachao. The stars -- Rekha, Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi and Priyanka. Naseer was no where in sight. His shots were filmed the day before, so he wasn't needed today, we learnt later.

Producer Prakash Mehra, the man responsible for Amitabh Bachchan's first hit as an angry young man, was unwell. When we walked on to the sets, his wife and son, Amit, were managing the show. Rekha was on her way.

We decided to hang around to catch the star in action. In the meanwhile, we saw Arshad and Priyanka practising with choreographer Ahmed Khan. Baweja was sitting in a corner, watching them as he too waited for Rekha. She finally appeared at 3 o'clock, nattily dressed in denim shirt and jeans. Looking at her, we were compelled to believe her claim that she was not a day over 45.

Knowing that he did not have much time, Baweja requested the choreographer and the cameraman to complete the shot quickly. "The light is going down," he frowned worriedly, "and I need to shoot this scene fast." Rekha wasn't actually supposed to be there that day. She came in only to give that particular shot.

By now, Rekha had changed into an offwhite, silk kurta-churidar. She looked great. Her makeup was perfect, not a hair out of place. No make-up artiste hovered around her with a mirror -- she still created her own face.

We moved to the scene of the much-awaited shot. Rekha was to storm towards a red car, get in, bang the door shut and zoom away in a trail of dust. Only, her dupatta kept getting caught in the door. Twice!!

Baweja requested her to gather the folds of her dupatta before she entered the car. Rekha didn't really look as if she cared if the dupatta got caught, but Baweja's facial expressions forced her to oblige.

Then, the car wouldn't start. Rekha couldn't help herself, she burst out laughing. Baweja glared at the man-in-charge, who ran towards Rekha, telling her all she needed to do was accelerate. Another burst of giggles and another try. But the car refused to budge.

"Madam achche mood mein hai," remarked a surprised assistant. Good for us! But the director, obviously, was none too pleased. The only thing he wanted, at that moment, was for the car to move like it was supposed to. Another try and the engine purred to life. Third time lucky!!

The film, inspired by Ruthless People, has Rekha playing the rich wife to greedy husband Naseer. Arshad and Priyanka play the couple who kidnap her for ransom. Naseer, happy that his wife is kidnapped, won't lift a finger to help her. Rekha realises this and joins hands with her kidnappers to teach hubby dearest a lesson. The climax is completely alag from the original, we are told -- very, very Indian.

The car zooms back to the scene. Rekha is having the time of her life: "It's so much fun working like this. This is a good set-up and I like the subject. It's a comedy and Harry Baweja is a good director. The younger actors are fun to work with too. I am enjoying myself very much."

Rekha and Arshad sure hit it off. She chatted and joked with him constantly. Which left poor Priyanka with nothing much to do.

The second shot was an action sequence. The star trio were needed to jump from a window and roll on the ground. Rekha, in jeans again, hair left loose, smiles indulgently at Priyanka, "This is our last day of shooting. Now only the dubbing and some post-production remain. I won't be seeing these people again for sometime." Boy! she must really miss shooting for films round the clock.

The fight master explains just how he wants things done. But it takes a while to can the shot. The jump and the roll aren't right. The fight master demonstrates the shots again. And the actors try to get it right.

Rolling in the mud sure ain't my idea of fun. But Rekha's spirits are not dampened and she infects the whole unit with her spirit of enthusiasm.

They try once more. It looked like it would be a while before the shot was canned. We decide it was time to say goodbye.