Top News

New Delhi: Released in 1992, Deewana remains one of Bollywood’s most iconic films and is widely remembered for launching Shah Rukh Khan into Hindi cinema. The film starred Rishi Kapoor, Divya Bharti, and Shah Rukh Khan, and went on to become a blockbuster hit.

More than three decades later, producer Guddu Dhanoa, in an exclusive interview with News9 Digital, opened up about behind-the-scenes details, how Shah Rukh was cast after Armaan Kohli exited the project, and why Deewana is now being upgraded with Dolby Atmos sound.

Q: How did Deewana happen?

A: Shabnam and I had gone to Madras where SA Chandrashekhar’s Insaaf Ki Devi starring Rekha and Jeetendra was being shot. So, Shabnam said, “Guddu, let’s go to Madras and see films”. We saw the trials of three films of Chandrashekhar. It was a one day trip. A few days later, Shabnam said to me, “Do you remember the story we had heard that day? I’m making that film.”

It was a good story. I left from there after lunch. I used to stay in My Little Home building in Juhu. I took a U turn from Juhu Circle and went back to Shabnam and asked her to let me make that film. Shabnam didn’t hesitate and let me make the film as she already had two films on floors.

As it was Chandrashekhar’s film, we hired him as the director. Shabnam narrated the story to Rishi Kapoor. I knew Jatin Rajguru who used to manage Divya Bharti’s work, very well. He was a very good friend of mine as he was Sunny Deol’s secretary too. The Deol family are my relatives. Jatin told me to cast Divya.

Armaan Kohli was part of Insaaf Ki Devi. Shabnam told me to cast him. Nadeem Shravan were doing the music. Chandrashekhar ji used to stay in Madras. He wasn’t well-versed with Hindi so he’d tell me to finalize the songs and then he’d come and listen to them. We finalized four songs: Aisi Deewanagi Dekhi Nahin Kahi, Teri Ummeed Tera Intzaar, Tere Dard Se Dil Aabad Raha, and Payaliya.

Chandrashekhar came to Mumbai. We went to meet him at the Sea Princess Hotel. He told us that he wouldn’t be able to do our film. We were shocked. He said he was busy with multiple films and didn’t have the time to direct this one. He gave us the subject and told us to make the film with another director.

We returned dejected. While passing by Chand Society, we saw Raj Kanwar on a scooter. He was the chief assistant to Rajkumar Santoshi on Ghayal which I had produced. I asked him whether he’d direct a film and he agreed. I asked him to come to my house the next morning at 11 am. I narrated him the story and the four songs. I signed him as the director.

Meanwhile Armaan Kohli had a problem with Shabnam and she removed him from the film. I got a call from Armaan’s father Rajkumar Kohli telling me that Armaan won’t do my film because Shabnam removed him from the film. So, they left the film. I was in a dilemma as two years before Deewana I saw big struggle in life after Gola Barood.

Meanwhile, Bobby Deol was going to be launched around the same time with a film titled Champion. Dharamji had put me on the duty to handle Shekhar Kapur and Javed Akhtar and provide them with everything they needed.

Shekhar and I were going to Madras to see the special effects of Anjali. It was a superhit film and had good special effects. Shekhar asked me what I was doing. I told him about my situation with Deewana. I was not sure whom to cast after Armaan left the film. Shekhar said, “Take Shah Rukh Khan”. I asked him, “Who Shah Rukh Khan?” He said, “The new guy in Fauji.”

I had seen the TV show but couldn’t recollect his face. I came back from Madras and called Shah Rukh. He told me to come to meet him in Delhi. So, Raj Kanwar and I went to Delhi and met Shah Rukh Khan at Host restaurant in Connaught Place at 12 noon. Shah Rukh entered exactly at 12 noon. I asked Raj Kanwar, “Raju, yeh hai Shah Rukh Khan?” Raj said, “Yes”. I said, “Done”. I remembered Fauji and Circus the moment I saw Shah Rukh.

When we told him about the film, Shah Rukh said that he didn’t have the dates to do the film. I asked him what he was doing. He said he was doing five films, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Dil Aashna Hai, Chamatkar, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, and King Uncle.

I asked him to listen to the subject. He asked me to come to his house the next day at 12 noon. The next day, we met him at his house and narrated the first half. His character was not there in the first half. After lunch, we narrated him the second half. He said, “Guddu, I’m doing your film. It’s a brilliant subject. And I want to work with Chintuji. I love Chintuji. He’s a fantastic actor.”

But he said that he’d give me dates once somebody else’s dates got cancelled. I gave him 8000 rupees cash and 3000 rupees cheque, a total of 11,000 rupees as signing amount for the film.

He called us after a few days that his schedule had been cancelled and he had twenty days. He asked when we could shoot. I told him we could shoot from the next day itself. We started shooting soon and completed a 20-day schedule with Shah Rukh. Deewana got made smoothly.

Q: How was the equation between Rishi Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan?

A: It was very good. They had very few scenes together. A sad song, a fight scene, a hospital scene and the climax. They had good tuning. We had good fun making that film. Music was brilliant.

Q: Was Madhuri Dixit the original choice for the film before Divya Bharti?

A: No, not at all. See, I was new. My first film was Mera Lahu which did okay. I faced losses in Gola Barood because of David Dhawan but still I managed. I was just beginning so I didn’t have the courage to approach a big star like Madhuri Dixit.

I was working with newcomers mostly. Shah Rukh and Divya were both new. As for Chintuji, we thought we could approach him because the subject demanded that kind of an actor. Fortunately, he liked the story and did the film. We never approached Madhuri Dixit for Deewana.

Q: Tell us about Divya Bharti.

A: She was a brilliant girl. She had so much energy. We were shooting Aisi Deewanagi in Shimla. She had 104 degree Celsius fever. But she still shot for the song. Look at her energy in that song.

Q: Why are you upgrading Deewana now?

A: Deewana was mad in mono sound. We’re mixing the film in Dolby Atmos. We don’t have a plan for re-release as yet. Deewana is a milestone in my life as well as Shah Rukh Khan’s life. It’s also a milestone in the history of Hindi cinema. So, I thought why not upgrade the film.

A few months ago, in my store room, in trunks, I found international tracks of Deewana. Back then we used to have Maxell tapes on which sound used to get recorded. International tracks means music, dialogue, effects all would be separate. So that in future you could dub it, mix it, add or remove it, easily.

I found those tapes in a plastic bag. Those tapes survived many seasons. I sent those tapes to Shemaroo to check whether they were fine. Upon checking, they turned out to be fine. Then I decided to upgrade it.

Q: Did Shah Rukh Khan ever ask you for the rights of Deewana?

A: No, never. Karim Morani called me once and asked whether I wanted to sell the rights. I told him that I didn’t want to sell the rights. I don’t know why or for whom he wanted to buy the rights.