When Kader Khan said he refused to call Amitabh Bachchan ‘sirji’: ‘Due to that I didn’t have connection with him later’

Actor Kader Khan has once spoken about how he was unable to address veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan as ‘sirji’ adding that it was because of this that they didn’t have a warm relationship later. In an old interview, Kader had also said that after this, he stepped away or wasn’t a part of several projects featuring Amitabh. He also said that it was impossible to call Amitabh Bachchan by some other name as he was a friend and brother to him. (Also Read | Amitabh Bachchan mourns Kader Khan’s death in heartfelt note)

Amitabh and Kader were part of many films, whether the latter had written them or they acted together. They collaborated in several films together, including Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Do Aur Do Paanch (1980), Kaalia (1981), Satte Pe Satta (1982), Coolie (1983), Shahenshah (1988), Agneepath (1990), Hum (1991), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998) and Sooryavansham (1999).

In a video of an old inter shared by Filmydrama, Kader said, “Main Amitji ko ‘Amit, Amit’ bolta tha. Ek producer ne mujhse aake kaha, ‘Aap sir ji ko mila’, south ka. Maine bola, ‘Kaun sir ji?’. ‘Aapko sir ji nahin maalum. That tall man’. Amitji aa rehe the waha se. Maine kaha, ‘Woh toh Amit hai, sir ji kabse ho gaye. ‘Hann, we will call him sirji’. Aur sabne sirji bolna shuru kardiya tha (I used to refer Amitji as Amit. A producer from the South film industry asked me, ‘Did you meet sirji? I asked, ‘Who sirji?’ ‘You don’t know sirji? That tall man’. Amitji was coming from the other side. I said, ‘That’s Amit, since when did he become sirji? ‘We will call him sirji’. And everybody actually started calling him sirji).”

“Mere muh se nikla nahi sirji, aur sirji ka na nikalna main nikal gaya uss group se. Kya koi apne dost ko, apne bhai ko kisi aur naam se pukaar sakta hai? Namoomkin baat hai yeh. Main nahin kar saka aur shayad isliye mera unse woh raabta nahin raha. Isliye Khuda Gawa mein main nahi tha, phir Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati maine aadhi likhi aadhi chordi (I couldn’t say sirji and I was out of that group. Can a person call their friend or brother by some other name? It’s impossible. I couldn’t do that and maybe because of that I didn’t have that connection with him later. That’s why I wasn’t there in Khuda Gawah, I wrote only half of Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati). There were several other films that I had begun working on but I quit.”

Kader was not only an actor but also a director and screenwriter in Bollywood for over four decades. His last film was Hogaya Dimaagh Ka Dahi (2015). He won several awards during his career. Kader was also honoured with the Padma Shri posthumously.

After Kader’s death, Amitabh penned a note for him and also shared a photo. He tweeted, “Kadar Khan passes away .. sad depressing news .. my prayers and condolences .. a brilliant stage artist a most compassionate and accomplished talent on film .. a writer of eminence; in most of my very successful films .. a delightful company .. and a mathematician!!”