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It's exciting to come back where I've lived my life: AK Hangal
Mumbai Mirror | Jun 1, 2012, 11.01AM ISTRead More:Shashi Kapoor|Madhubala|AK Hangal
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AK Hangal
A K Hangal returned to face the studio lights after seven long years. Having reached the sets of a TV Series Madhubala on a wheelchair, the 97-year-old actor wasn't sure he would be able to handle it physically.
But once the cameras started rolling, there was no stopping the actor within. Speaking about his experience, Hangal told , "I have lived my life on the sets. And it was exciting to go back to one."
Hangal, who has starred in over 200 films in his career spanning more than half a century, revealed that the script urged him to take up the cameo. "I have grown up seeing the industry. When the makers offered me the role of a veteran actor, who ends up naming a newborn Madhubala, I instantly liked it. Though I never met the actress on whose life the serial is apparently based, she was alive when I started my film career. So, in a way, I connect with the era. I could identify with the character and was excited to return to the sets," said the veteran actor.
Having made several special appearances in films over the years, Hangal added, "Cameos have been a major part of my career. For example, in the 1975 film Deewar, I was part of just one scene in which police inspector Shashi Kapoor kills a boy for stealing bread. I had only one line in the scene."
The actor had last shot for Amol Palekar's film, Paheli in 2005. In fact, he had not gone out of his house for the last eight months. "We were surprised to see him get out of home. He would have done it only for acting," said his son Vijay and added, "My father had remained at home for the past few months. The show producer Saurabh Tiwari and senior executives from the channel came to our place to offer him the role. Several filmmakers had approached him in the last few years. But father did not take those up due to health issues."
However, this time around, the script lured Hangal to the sets. When contacted, writer Mukul Abhyankar told , "I had conceived the role keeping Mr Hangal in mind. We wanted someone who could identify with 100 years of cinema."
But once the cameras started rolling, there was no stopping the actor within. Speaking about his experience, Hangal told , "I have lived my life on the sets. And it was exciting to go back to one."
Hangal, who has starred in over 200 films in his career spanning more than half a century, revealed that the script urged him to take up the cameo. "I have grown up seeing the industry. When the makers offered me the role of a veteran actor, who ends up naming a newborn Madhubala, I instantly liked it. Though I never met the actress on whose life the serial is apparently based, she was alive when I started my film career. So, in a way, I connect with the era. I could identify with the character and was excited to return to the sets," said the veteran actor.
Having made several special appearances in films over the years, Hangal added, "Cameos have been a major part of my career. For example, in the 1975 film Deewar, I was part of just one scene in which police inspector Shashi Kapoor kills a boy for stealing bread. I had only one line in the scene."
The actor had last shot for Amol Palekar's film, Paheli in 2005. In fact, he had not gone out of his house for the last eight months. "We were surprised to see him get out of home. He would have done it only for acting," said his son Vijay and added, "My father had remained at home for the past few months. The show producer Saurabh Tiwari and senior executives from the channel came to our place to offer him the role. Several filmmakers had approached him in the last few years. But father did not take those up due to health issues."
However, this time around, the script lured Hangal to the sets. When contacted, writer Mukul Abhyankar told , "I had conceived the role keeping Mr Hangal in mind. We wanted someone who could identify with 100 years of cinema."
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