Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 19 : Veteran actor Himani Shivpuri shared screen space with superstar Salman Khan in Sooraj Barjatya's hit film, 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!', which became one of the biggest commercial successes of her career and made her place in Bollywood.
In a conversation with ANI, Shivpuri revealed that her initial dream had always been theatre. "I had the dream of doing only theatre and theatre and theatre. And I joined the National School of Drama for my training," she said. She added that during her early years, she toured cities and villages across India, performing plays like Othello, Mitro Marjani, and Aazar Ka Khwaab, with notable performances even in small villages that left audiences spellbound.
Shivpuri recounted how her husband, Gyan Shivpuri, who hailed from a film background and worked on films like 'Babul' (1986), produced by Rajshri Productions and directed by Govind Moonis, encouraged her to explore opportunities in Mumbai. Eventually, her theatre performances caught the eye of Manohar Shyam Joshi, the renowned writer of Hum Log, leading to an offer for the role of Devaki Bhaujai in the serial 'Humrahi'.
The show brought her recognition, but it was her performance in Aazar Ka Khwaab, an Urdu adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, that impressed director Sooraj Barjatya, and she got a role in Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit starrer romantic drama.
'Aazar Ka Khwaab' is an Urdu adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion, and when the ace director, Sooraj Barjatya, saw her performance, he was impressed and wrote a role for her in his film. "My husband has worked with Rajshri, so he invited Sooraji to watch the play 'Aazar Ka Khwaab' in which I was playing a woman, Hajjo...so when he saw this play, Sooraji had already written the script of Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, So he wrote this character of mine, and I got a call from Rajji (from the makers)..I was very excited. So I went to the office and...I just wanted work.."
Shivpuri credited her continued success to both fate and blessings. Following Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, she appeared in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Pardes, and several other films, establishing herself as a versatile and respected performer in Bollywood. "Work kept coming, and I never had to ask anyone for opportunities. People even started considering me lucky," she added.
Shivpuri also looked back on her time working in Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol's cult classic, 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ).
Shivpuri, who essayed the role of 'Kammo Bua', Kajol's on-screen aunt, revealed why she was not part of the film's climax.
Revealing that her husband passed away at the same time, the actress spoke about how she was forced to step away from the project, resulting in her absence from the climax scene."I was shooting for DDLJ when my husband passed away. There was a climax scene, I believe. I don't remember anything about the climax scene. I just knew that my husband had died, and I was all alone in this new city. We didn't know anyone. They (DDLJ team) got to know about it. Farida ji came to see me, and she must have told Mr Chopra (Yash Chopra). I didn't even remember that I had to go there after two days for the Panvel shooting of the climax. I got a call from Yash Raj Productions, and Yash ji said, 'I understand that this has happened, and we know that you cannot come'".
Himani Shivpuri revealed how she had to turn down the climax shooting due to the final rites of her husband, when her son was still studying in Dehradun."They had a shooting in two days, and everybody's dates were there. So they had to shoot it. I am the only one who is not there in the climax. Everyone is there. Each and every character is there. Except me, everyone is there," the actress added.
Directed by Aditya Chopra, 'DDLJ' was released in 1995 and went on to become one of India's biggest hits. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in the lead roles.
Himani is best known for her roles in films such as Raja, Khamoshi, Hero No. 1, Deewana Mastana, Bandhan, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. She has also starred in Biwi No.1 , Hum Saath-Saath Hain , Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon .