Mukesh Khanna recalls last phone call with Praveen Kumar aka Bheem: ‘He wasn’t someone who’d call me often’

Mukesh Khanna, in his latest video, recalled his last phone conversation with actor Praveen Kumar who died on Monday. Praveen worked with him in the popular show Mahabharat. Mukesh also remembered an interesting anecdote from the show that was re-run during the first pandemic-induced lockdown in 2020.  

The veteran actor began the video by expressing grief over the death of singing legend Lata Mangeshkar and Mahabharat actor Praveen Kumar. He then revealed that Praveen had called him up 15 days ago. “He called me up and said ‘pitamah!’ I asked him if all was well and he said everything was fine, and he had simply called to ask after my well-being. He was not someone who’d call me often. But he called that day, we had a good chat and he was his usual happy self. I did not suspect at all that he was unwell, or would die in a few days.” 

He also recalled a few anecdotes from the time when they worked together on the popular TV show Mahabharat. “I can tell you that if there was a person who was the most ‘shareef’ (well-mannered), it was Praveen Kumar. He would always sit and talk with the best manner possible. He had the accent of a Punjabi and the jovial nature that is associated with Punjabis but no controversy ever surrounded him. He would always call me pitamah, not once did he call me by my name, Mukesh.”

Mukesh also talked about Bheem and Hanuman (Dara Singh) being true blue Punjabis on the show. “For this Rang Bhavan scene, everyone had to introduce themselves and show their skills. I was sitting with director Ravi Chopra and Bheem said, ‘Oye Arjan (Arjun), upar aja ye soot puttar hai soot puttar (Come back upstairs Arjun, he is the son of a charioteer).’ I whispered to Ravi ji he should get it dubbed as Mahabharat means pure Hindi. Ravi ji then told me ‘What should I do? when I suggested the same to Praveen, he said, ‘Kara lo dubbing. Role bhi kisi aur se kara lo (Yes, go get it dubbed by someone else. In fact, give the role to someone else as well).’ He wasn’t ready for his voice to be dubbed by anyone else.”

Also read: Praveen Kumar Sobti, aka Mahabharat’s Bheem, was a gentle gracious man, say peers

“During my interview with him, I picked up this incident, wary of offending him. He then told me, ‘Pitamaha, I am a Punjabi and I am not ashamed of it. So what’s the big deal if it is not proper Hindi.’ I think it was because of his stern belief in himself that people associated with Bheem the way he portrayed it.”