Ishaan Khatter Recalls Childhood Moment With Amitabh Bachchan On Sooryavansham Set: ‘I Pulled His Beard'
If you've ever lazily flicked through TV channels on a weekend afternoon, chances are you've stumbled upon Sooryavansham—the cult classic that never seems to go off-air on Set Max. Though the film didn't fare well at the box office upon its 1999 release, it has since gained a loyal following. But for actor Ishaan Khatter, the film holds a more personal significance—he actually visited its set as a child, thanks to his actor-mother Neelima Azeem.
In a recent chat with Mid-Day, Ishaan shared a delightful anecdote from his childhood. 'I think my mom once did a children's show called Nayantara, and I appeared on it too. It was a talk show where she spoke about parenting and motherhood. I've always been fascinated by film sets," he said.
Recounting the moment he visited the sets of Sooryavansham, Ishaan added, 'She once took me to the sets of Sooryavansham, and apparently, I kept saying 'Bade Miyan, Bade Miyan' to Amitabh Bachchan, because I had seen Bade Miyan Chote Miyan," he laughed.
What happened next has remained a cherished story in his family. 'He (Amitabh Bachchan) picked me up! And my mom later told me, 'You were the only kid he lifted, and you pulled his beard!' And he just smiled and said, 'It's okay.' These are the stories I've grown up hearing from my mom."
In an earlier interview with Mashable India, Ishaan had also revealed how Amitabh Bachchan helped him get into school during his early years. 'At the time, she was trying to get me admitted into a school and Jamnabai was then one of the nicest schools. She was having trouble getting admission for me there and he very kindly, personally went and spoke to the authorities," he said.
Neelima Azeem played Mrs. Varun Singh in Sooryavansham, while Ishaan's father, Rajesh Khattar, essayed her on-screen husband. For many, Sooryavansham may be just another film on a television loop. For Ishaan Khatter, though, it's a piece of childhood wrapped in warmth, wonder—and a beard-pulling incident with the Big B himself.
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