Raj Kapoor’s Use Of This Punjabi Phrase For His Relationship With Films Is So Apt!

By: Jasmine Singh | March 18, 2022

One of the pioneers of Hindi film industry as we know it today, Raj Kapoor first stepped into films in 1935 with the film ‘Inquilab’. But his actual debut was with the lead role in ‘Neel Kamal (1947)’ opposite Madhubala in her first role as a leading lady.

Kapoor, who came from a Punjabi family was born in 1924 and is often called the ‘Charlie Chaplin of Indian Cinema’. Out of his extensive list of works, his most prominent films include ‘Awaara (1951)’, ‘Aah (1953)’, ‘Shree 420 (1955)’, ‘Jagte Raho (1956)’, ‘Dastan (1950)’, ‘Anhonee (1952)’, ‘Chori Chori (1956)’, ‘Anari (1959)’, ‘Do Ustad (1959)’, ‘Chhalia (1960)’, ‘Dil Hi To Hai (1963)’ and ‘Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968)’, to name a few! Also Read: Do You Know About Pankaj Tripathi’s Punjabi Film?

Even though the actor worked mainly in Hindi cinema, he did stay connected to his Punjabi roots and used various Punjabi phrases in interviews and his daily life. In one of his old interviews, Kapoor said something similar.

When he was asked “Out of all his films, which was Raj Kapoor’s own favorite?”, Kapoor replied with the phrase “Maa jeevendi satt, karam na dendi vand” (translated as: a mother can birth seven children, but doesn’t decide/ divide their fate individually).

He basically said, “She is a mother to them all, they are equally dear to her, but she can’t deal out destiny. Each of them has their own destiny and success. So if you ask me which film of mine is dearer to me; they are all my own. While some had their own magic and were great successes, others weren’t.” Also Read: Diljit Dosanjh To Play Amar Singh Chamkila In Biopic Directed By Imtiaz Ali!

However, he does continue further to reveal the ones nearest to his heart. Kapoor adds, “Life is like that and perhaps, so are films that the one that fails is like a child that lags behind. The ones that succeed earn respect and praise in an case, but the ones that are left behind grow closer to you.

One of the films in that category was ‘Mera Naam Joker’, it is very dear to me because it did not succeed. Another such film of mine was ‘Jagte Raho’ which did not perform well either. So they’re my two special children. Maybe they had a limp or didn’t have a pretty face or whatever because for some reason that they didn’t run. Or perhaps they were so extraordinary that no one understood them but as I said, ‘A mother can’t decide her own children’s fate’”

Isn’t Raj Kapoor’s comparison of his films to children and the way he describes them just so apt!? Also Read: B Praak And Meera Bachan Open Up A New Venture!

You can hear the answer in his own words here: