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‘She is herself a kid and…’ Raj Kapoor took Khushbu Sundar’s place during the launch of Ram Teri Ganga Maili.

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‘She is herself a kid and…’ Raj Kapoor took Khushbu Sundar’s place during the launch of Ram Teri Ganga Maili.

At 14, Khushbu Sundar was cast in Ram Teri Ganga Maili, before Raj Kapoor felt she was too young for the part. Khushbu Sundar began her career as a child artist in Hindi films in the 80s, before finding fame as a lead star in Tamil and Telugu films in the 90s.

But it almost went very differently. The actor-turned-politician recently revealed that she had been cast by the late Raj Kapoor in Ram Teri Ganga Maili, only to be eventually replaced by Mandakini.

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Khushbu on Ram Teri Ganga Maili

Speaking with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel, Khushbu revealed, “Raj Kapoor wanted to launch me in Ram Teri Ganga Maili. We also did a photo shoot for the same. After looking at those photos, Raj Kapoor had said, ‘She is my Ganga.

The plan was to finish the Gangotri schedule first, but it was snowing at the time, so they decided to shoot in Kolkata first, where they would show the brothel scene. In this segment of the film, the character is already a mother to a baby.”

Ram Teri Ganga Maili was shot in 1984 and released the following year. It launched Raj Kapoor’s youngest son Rajiv Kapoor and Mandakini. The latter came on board after Raj Kapoor had second thoughts about Khushbu. The actor revealed.

“I was not even fully 14 years old at the time, so Raj ji said, ‘She is herself a kid, and a baby in her hand won’t look good.’ He couldn’t push the film either, and because of this, I couldn’t star in the film.”

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Khushbu’s film career and recent work

Ram Teri Ganga Maili was eventually released in August 1985 and went on to be a big hit. It was the last film directed by Raj Kapoor before his death a few years later. Khushbu made her debut as a lead star in Meri Jung, also in 1985.

She made her Telugu film debut in Kaliyuga Pandavulu (1986). Soon after, she moved her base to Chennai, appearing in many Tamil and Telugu hits over the next decade. After a 13-year hiatus, she returned to films with Rajinikanth-starrer Annaatthe in 2021. She was last seen in Vanvas, her first Hindi film in over 30 years.

During the iconic launch of the 1985 film Ram Teri Ganga Maili, legendary actor-director Raj Kapoor made an unexpected move that raised eyebrows in the industry. The event, which was supposed to feature Khushbu Sundar in a key role, saw Raj Kapoor stepping in to fill her place. This decision reportedly came after an incident, with Kapoor making the statement, “She is herself a kid and…” referring to Sundar’s youth at the time.

The film, directed by Raj Kapoor, was already creating a buzz for its bold themes and controversial scenes. As the launch event was underway, Khushbu Sundar, who was initially cast in a prominent role, was absent, and Kapoor took it upon himself to take her place.

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engaging with the media and attendees. While he didn’t provide further details on why Sundar wasn’t present, his remark, “She is herself a kid,” hinted at concerns about her readiness to handle the responsibility of such a high-profile film launch.

Despite the unexpected turn of events, Raj Kapoor’s charisma and decades of experience in the industry made him a fitting replacement. His leadership and vision for the film were clear, and his involvement in the event was a testament to his passion for cinema and his dedication to ensuring the success of his projects.

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At seven o’clock, Raj Babbar’s daughter learnt of his liaison with Smita Patil. “I shouldn’t tell my mother about this.”

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5 hours ago

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January 16, 2025

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At seven o’clock, Raj Babbar’s daughter learnt of his liaison with Smita Patil. “I shouldn’t tell my mother about this.”

Raj Babbar left his wife, Nadira, to marry Smita Patil in 1983. His daughter Juhi Babbar has recalled the time in a new interview.
Actor Raj Babbar was already married and had two children when he began his relationship with fellow actor, Smita Patil. The affair and the ensuing marriage saw a lot of controversy, given how it began. Raj Babbar’s daughter, former actor Juhi Babbar, has now opened up on the time and how she came to know about the relationship when she was just 7 years old.

Juhi Babbar on Raj Babbar and Smita Patil

In an interview with Lehren Retro, Juhi recalled how Smita Patil made a conscious effort to connect with Raj’s two children – Juhi and her brother, Arya. “My father talked and explained his marriage with Smita Patil to me when I was barely seven years old, and that’s why my memories of Smita ji are very different. She went out of her way to do things for me. I think she also had this thing that we are the kids of the person who is most special to her, and so we are special to her as well. She would show us a lot of love, always bringing us gifts when she travelled, and she would ensure that at home, we were served the food that we liked. These small memories are nice, but unfortunately, there aren’t many memories,” she said.

Juhi said she was conflicted about her impression of Smita at the time because the actor was always nice to us, but she could see that the marriage had shaken up her own family, particularly her mother, Nadira. “As a child, I knew this is the lady my father wants to be with, and he wants to make her his wife. I could see Smita making an effort towards me and my little brother, but I also knew that this was disturbing the unit that used to be, and that my mother was unhappy about it. I had that understanding—that aunty (Smita) was being so good to me, but when I go home, I shouldn’t share this with my mother.”

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Raj Babbar and Smita Patil’s marriage

Smita Patil and Raj Babbar met on the sets of their 1982 film Bheegi Palkein. Raj left Nadira to marry Smita the following year. Their son, actor Prateik Babbar, was born in November 1986. However, Smita Patil died soon after from childbirth complications at the age of 31. Raj Babbar got back together with Nadira a few years later.

Juhi Babbar made her film debut with Kash Aap Hamare Hote opposite Sonu Nigam in 2003. She worked in a handful of films over the next few years before taking a hiatus to do TV. In 2023, she returned to films with supporting roles in films like Faraaz and Farrey. She is married to actor Anup Soni.

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