The veteran star Simi Garewal is best known for her unique presence in Bollywood during the 1960s and 70s. The actress gained recognition with roles in Bollywood classics like ‘Mera Naam Joker ‘(1970), where she played a significant role, which received critical acclaim internationally.
In an old interview with ETimes, Simi Garewal shared her memories of making ‘Mera Naam Joker’ and also talked about her experience of working with Raj Kapoor.
Simi Garewal reflected on some of the happiest moments of her career, recalling how much she enjoyed every day and every shot while portraying Mary. She admired the meticulous care that Raj Kapoor, whom she fondly referred to as Raj-ji, took in composing each frame and dialogue. Simi further shared that Raj-ji often involved her in the creative process, allowing her to design her own clothes and, at times, compose her own lines.
The senior actress shared one instance when Rishi Kapoor’s character hands her a Joker doll at the station and says, “Yeh main hoon. Isse apne paas rakhiye.” Raj Kapoor asked her what she would say in response and gave her a few options. Simi suggested, “I’d just say ‘bohut pyaara hai – tumhari tareh,” and that’s the line they ended up using.
When asked whether Raj Kapoor was lenient with Rishi Kapoor or treated him like any other actor, Simi Garewal revealed that Raj Kapoor was extremely strict with his son, Chintu. The actress revealed that she never heard Raj-ji offer a kind word or say ‘well done’ to him. Chintu was genuinely terrified of his father and would always keep a safe distance. Whenever Raj-ji was around, Chintu would be nowhere to be found. Simi believed that Raj Kapoor was tougher on Chintu than on any other actor in the film.
Meanwhile, Simi Garewal, who rarely posts on social media, made an exception on October 10 to express her grief. The occasion was a solemn one, as she mourned the passing of veteran industrialist Ratan Tata, who passed away in Mumbai.
Simi took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a collage of pictures featuring herself and the late Ratan Tata from his appearance on her show Rendezvous with Simi Garewal. In her heartfelt post, she wrote, “They say you have gone. It’s too hard to bear your loss… too hard… Farewell my friend… #RatanTata.”
