Rakhee Gulzar: Amitabh Bachchan speaks Bengali very well and insists on speaking in Bangla

NEW DELHI, MARCH 06 (ONLINE): Veteran actress Raakhee Gulzar reflects on her illustrious career and her decision to embrace a quiet retirement. She recounts her experiences with co-stars like Sharmila Tagore and Amitabh Bachchan, and emphasizes her satisfaction with the roles she played, expressing no desire to return to acting.
Rakhee Gulzar: Amitabh Bachchan speaks Bengali very well and insists on speaking in Bangla- Exclusive
Once the epitome of grace and emotional depth in Hindi cinema, Raakhee Gulzar has chosen a life away from the limelight. The actress, whose incandescent presence lit up classics like Sharmilee, Kabhi Kabhie, and Tapasya, now enjoys her tranquil retreat from the industry.
“I am happy to be out of the rat race. I like my life of retirement,” she admits. “I gave up all that long ago. Main toh kabhi kisike saath competition mein thi hi nahi (I was never in competition with anyone). When I did Yash Chopra’s Daag, there was an attempt to pitch me against Sharmila Tagore. It was all nonsense. We hardly had scenes together. She had all the songs. But I never cared about these things—how big my role was, how many songs I had, or the number of costume changes. I believed in making the most of the space I was given in every film.”
Raakhee Gulzar reveals many unknown facts about Amitabh Bachchan: ‘He is a very funny guy, plays pranks and does a lot of masti’
Another frequent collaborator was Amitabh Bachchan. “We did quite a few films together, and he would insist on speaking to me in Bengali. I must say, he speaks very good Bengali. We don’t meet often, but whenever we do, there’s always mutual respect and affection.”

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Among her personal favorites, she names Kabhi Kabhie, Daag, and Doosra Aadmi. “Doosra Aadmi was special. It’s rare to see a woman above 40 feel an attraction, that too towards a younger man. Plus, I was a career woman in that film. I also liked Wafaa, where I was cast opposite Sanjay Khan,” she reflected.
When asked about a possible return to acting, Raakhee dismisses the idea. “Where are the roles? I have done a couple of Bangla films recently because the makers were keen and cast me in strong, author-backed roles. Even when I played a mother in Ram Lakhan or Karan Arjun, I was the central character,” she concluded.