'Gadar' director Anil Sharma recalls his first directorial shot with Rakhee in 'Shradhanjali'
Mumbai, July 14
Filmmaker Anil Sharma, known for helming the blockbuster "Gadar" franchise, has described July 14 as the "best day" of his life as he took his first shot as a director 46 years ago for his debut film "Shradhanjali" starring Rakhee Gulzar.
Anil took to Instagram, where he shared the poster of a film and also shared a picture of cutting his daughter Kairvina's birthday cake, who too was born on the same day.
"14 July best day of my life .. this day two most beautiful things happened .. first 46 year back 14 July 1980 I took first shot as director .. #SHRADHDHANJLI with Rakhee Gulzar ji .. god willing became big HIT... (sic)," he wrote as the caption.
He added: "n also 14 July is my little daughter kairvina's birthday... a best moment god has given me. Happiest birthday my love... little laughter @ Kairvina... (sic)."
The film, which also stars Suresh Oberoi and Deepak Parashar, was released in 1981. "Shradhanjali" follows a woman, who leaves her bitter life in the past and gets married to a man. However, things take a turn when she has to abort her child in order to raise her husband's younger brother.
Talking about the filmmaker, his latest release is Vanvaas. The film stars Nana Patekar, Utkarsh Sharma, Simrat Kaur, Rajpal Yadav, Khushbu Sundar, and Ashwini Kalsekar. Vanvaas explores the complexities of familial relationships, focusing on themes of sacrifice, emotional bonds, and the challenges of sustaining unity in modern times.
Meanwhile, his most recent blockbuster was "Gadar 2". The sequel to Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, it stars Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, and Utkarsh Sharma, all reprising their lead roles from the original, with Simrat Kaur, Manisha Wadhwa, and Gaurav Chopra.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Tara Singh returns to India and Pakistan to rescue his imprisoned son Jeete.
Gadar 2 was the fourth highest-grossing Indian film of 2023, the tenth highest-grossing Hindi film of all-time, and the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film in India.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's wonderful that Anil Sharma considers July 14 as the best day of his life—combining his directorial debut and his daughter's birthday. 'Shradhanjali' sounds like a heartfelt story, and the fact that it became a hit shows his talent even back then. Gadar 2 was a massive success too, but I hope his newer films like Vanvaas get more recognition for their emotional depth. 💫
46 saal pehle aisi film banana jo aaj bhi relevant ho, kamaal ki baat hai. 'Gadar 2' ne to 2023 mein history hi bana di—fourth highest-grossing Indian film globally! Lekin mujhe thoda afsos hai ki Anil ji ko aaj kal utna credit nahi milta jitna unki filme deserve karti hain. Vanvaas ka plot bohot strong hai, par marketing kam thi. 😔
Respect for Anil Sharma—starting with a film about a woman's struggle and moving on to massive hits like Gadar shows his range. The fact that 'Shradhanjali' deals with such a tough subject (abortion for family) was bold for its time. Happy birthday to his daughter too! Vanvaas sounds like a much-needed story about family values in modern India. 🇮🇳
I love that Anil Sharma shared this memory—his first shot with Rakhee ji must have been a learning experience. 'Shradhanjali' ki story real tough decisions dikhati hai, aur aaj bhi us tarah ki filmein inspire karti hain. Gadar 2 ka historic success to alag level ka hai, par Vanvaas mein Nana Patekar aur Rajpal Yadav ka combination dekhne layak hai. 👌
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