Amitabh Bachchan: Shekhar Suman remembers first National Awards live show as a ‘huge disaster’ and working with Jaya Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan: ‘We would sit at his house and ideate for hours’ | Hindi Movie News

Actor and television personality Shekhar Suman has looked back on some memorable chapters of his career, including his association with veteran actor Jaya Bachchan. From landing her breakout television role in ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’ through Jaya’s production house to working with her on the first live National Awards show, Suman recalled the rewarding and chaotic experiences they shared. Recalling the awards ceremony, he candidly described the live broadcast as a “huge disaster,” recalling a power failure and the technical chaos that unfolded during the broadcast.

How Jaya Bachchan brought Shekhar Suman to ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’

Speaking on SCREEN Spotlight, Shekhar Suman recalled that he was initially reluctant to return to television. Having debuted in Bollywood with ‘Utsav’, he was wary of being associated with television projects. Suman said that director Aanand Mahendroo finally approached him with ‘Dekh Bhai Dekh’. The actor initially refused but changed his mind when he learned that Jaya Bachchan was producing the show.“One day I got a call from Aanand Mahendroo, who told me that he was doing a serial called Dekh Bhai Dekh. I said, ‘No, no, I’m not interested in serials’. Then he said, ‘It’s produced by Jaya Bachchan.’ Then I said, ‘Wait!’ If Jaya Bachchan endorses it and it is an Amitabh Bachchan production, I would take a look at it,” Suman recalled.

Shekhar Suman praises Jaya Bachchan’s hands-on approach

Suman also recalled how closely Jaya Bachchan was involved in the making of Dekh Bhai Dekh. According to the actress, she not only participated in the project as a producer, but also regularly visited the sets and actively participated in its development.“Jaya ji’s ABCL office was just one floor above. She was completely involved. She would come to the set and supervise. She took personal interest in it, which was very heartening to see. She laughed out loud at all sorts of idiosyncrasies we did. So yeah, happy times,” he said.The comedy became one of the most remembered television shows of the 1990s and played an important role in Suman’s television career.

Shekhar Suman calls National Awards’ first live show a ‘big disaster’

Suman’s association with Jaya Bachchan continued when his company approached him for the first-ever live performance of the National Awards. However, the ambitious broadcast did not go as well as expected.“It was the first time we were broadcasting live. It was a big disaster at the time: there was a power failure and there was abuse on the OB (Outside Broadcast) van that was broadcasting,” he recalled with a laugh.Despite the technical problems, the experience allowed Suman to spend considerable time with the Bachchan family. He recalled meeting Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan in Delhi and engaging in long conversations about creative ideas.“But yes, I was spending a lot of time with her at that time. Bachchan sahab had just moved to Gulmohar Park in Delhi. We would sit at her house and ideate for hours,” Suman added.

Shekhar Suman on the work front

On the work front, Shekhar Suman recently appeared in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Heeramandi’. He also began hosting his own talk show on YouTube, ‘Shekhar Tonite’, and has since branched out into education with the launch of the Shekhar Suman Film Academy, an acting institute he founded to mentor aspiring actors and storytellers through an intensive, contemporary curriculum.