Kuljit Pal (1933-2023) was an Indian director, writer, and producer who worked in Hindi cinema. He was known for his work as a producer in films like ‘Arth’ (1982) and ‘Aaj’ (1987). Kuljit is credited as the person who first introduced the celebrated Indian actress Rekha to Hindi cinema. Kuljit Pal passed away due to cardiac arrest in June 2023.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Kuljit Pal was born in 1933 (age 90 years; as of 2023) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Family
Parents & Siblings
There is not much information about his parents and siblings.
Wife & Children
Kuljit Pal was married to Rita Pal, a producer. His daughter’s name is Anamika Pal (also called Anu Pal); she is an actor. Anamika was once engaged to actor Akshay Kumar.
Kuljit Pal’s daughter, Anamika Pal
Career
Film
Producer
Kuljit Pal debuted as a producer in Hindi cinema with the film ‘Vaasna’ in 1968. The film starred Raaj Kumar, Padmini, Biswajit Chatterjee, and others.
A poster of the film ‘Vaasna’ (1968)
In 1979, he produced the film ‘Do Shikaari,’ starring Rekha and Vinod Khanna. Pal later produced other films including ‘Arth’ (1982), ‘Aashiana’ (1986), and ‘Aaj’ (1987).
Writer
Kuljit worked as a story writer for the film ‘Parmatma’ (1978).
A poster of the film ‘Parmatma’ (1978)
Director
Pal made his directorial debut with the film ‘Do Shikaari’ in 1979.
A poster of the film ‘Do Shikaari’ (1979)
Death
On 24 June 2023, Kuljit Pal passed away due to cardiac arrest after a prolonged illness in Mumbai. According to sources, he was bedridden for a long time. [1]Mid-Day
Facts/Trivia
- He was fondly called ‘Kuli’ by Mahesh Bhatt. [2]The Times of India
- It is reported that Kuljit was instrumental in recognising the potential of the Indian actress Rekha and providing her first opportunity in the Hindi film industry; however, the film project was ultimately put on hold. In an interview, Kuljit talked about the day he first met Rekha. He mentioned that he had travelled to Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, to meet with Vanisri, an Indian actor, with the intent of casting her in the film ‘Do Shikaari.’ He, however, stumbled upon a young girl named Rekha in Vanisri’s room. Impressed by her, Kuljit decided to conduct some dialogue tests with Rekha at her residence. Despite her limited proficiency in the language, Rekha performed well. Following this, Kuljit brought Rekha to Mumbai and signed her for a five-year stint in the film industry. She went on to act in films like ‘Do Shikaari’ (1979) among others.
- In 2013, a dispute arose between Kuljit Pal and Mahesh Bhatt over the remake rights of the film ‘Arth’ (1982). In an interview, Kuljit claimed that Mahesh had unauthorizedly given consent to a Pakistani producer, Shaan, for remaking their classic film. While talking about this, in an interview, Kuljit said,
It appears that Mahesh Bhatt has committed an offence, misleading Pakistani producers by assigning them the rights of Arth that legally belong solely to us. You all are advised not to deal with Sri Mahesh Bhatt for Arth.”
Mahesh Bhatt, on the other hand, had a different viewpoint. In an interview, he asserted that Pakistani superstar Shaan had approached him, seeking his non-objection for the Urdu-language remake of Arth. He further conveyed that he had provided his non-objection, believing that it would foster Indo-Pak relations. [3]The Indian Express
References
| ↑1 | Mid-Day |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | The Times of India |
| ↑3 | The Indian Express |
