Veteran actor Rakesh Bedi has become the internet’s latest favourite after his portrayal of Jameel Jamali in the Dhurandhar franchise. The twist in the sequel turned his character into a cult hit, with his dialogue, “Bachcha hai tu mera,” now a viral meme. Amid this renewed fame, Farah Khan visited the actor’s home and reminisced about a time when Rakesh wasn’t even paid for his work in films.
Reflecting on those early days, Farah asked, “Rakesh, do you get paid now? I guess you do.” Looking at Rakesh’s wife, Farah said: “When they all started their careers, nobody used to pay them.” “The times were different,” Rakesh Bedi replied.
Farah then quizzed him about Saath Saath, asking, “Did you ever get paid for your role in that film?” “Nope, never,” he said, adding, “That is the only film where I wasn’t paid a single penny—not even for conveyance. I even carried my own food.”
Curious about how things stand today, Farah asked if he feels a shift in how people perceive him. “Yes, things have changed now,” Rakesh said with a laugh. “A lot of people are approaching me for ads. The line ‘Tu bachcha hai mera’ has really struck a chord.”
Dhurandhar turned Rakesh Bedi into a social media sensation
His wife credited social media for amplifying his popularity. “It has played a huge role in this success,” she said. Rakesh agreed, noting that such reach wasn’t possible in earlier times. She added, “You don’t even need to post anything. If people like you, they’ll do it for you.” Addressing criticism around the film, she pointed out that even as some viewers slam it, many others are actively defending it.
Rakesh echoed the sentiment, saying, “Everyone has taken a defensive stand—‘Bhai, yeh film achi hai, tum bura bolne wale kaun hote ho?’”
Farah praised his performance, saying, “He was so good. It was such a different role.” She jokingly added, “Andar se nikla tera pura…,” to which Rakesh completed, “Bhara hua barood.”
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When Rakesh Bedi refused to work in an Aditya Dhar film
The emotional impact of the film wasn’t lost on his family either. His daughter shared, “The ending was beautiful. I remember finding him at the screening, hugging him, and crying.” His wife added that while she had witnessed his success over the years, their children were too young to understand it earlier. “Now they have finally seen what fame looks like,” she said.
When Farah asked his daughter Ritika if she was proud, she replied instantly, “Very.” Rakesh then revealed that she played a key role in one of his career decisions. “I had refused URI because it had just one scene in Serbia,” he said. “But she insisted—‘Dad, he’s a new director and very promising. Please do the film.’” His wife added, “Her argument was that if veterans refuse to work with new directors, it won’t be fair.” Ritika chimed in, “It becomes a cycle—then nobody gets a chance.”
Rakesh continued, “That’s when I agreed. Later, Aditya came and told me, ‘Sir, you have to do it.’”
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Ritika joked, “That’s why I tell my parents—listen to us youngsters, you’ll benefit!” Farah laughed, telling Rakesh, “See how much her advice helped you,” while his wife agreed wholeheartedly.
When Farah suggested Ritika should demand a gift in return, she quipped, “It’s already decided. I am getting my Range Rover soon.” Farah was stunned—“Oh my God, really?”—while Rakesh and his wife laughed it off, joking, “She’s lying. She’s always been a feku since childhood.”
Adding a dose of humour to the Dhurandhar buzz, Farah’s cook dressed up as a spoof version of Hamza, swapping guns for a spatula and a banana, leaving everyone in splits. Introducing him, Farah joked, “Meet Dilip—Dhurandhar ka chota bhai, Jogingdar banke aaya hai.”
Rakesh’s wife called him “cute,” while Farah added, “He’s brought an eco-friendly gun.” Rakesh laughed, asking, “Tu mujhe daraane ke liye dress up kiya tha?”
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When Neena Gupta called Saath Saath a mistake
Earlier, in an interview with Ashok Pandit, Rakesh had also spoken about working on Saath Saath. He recalled spending years at Javed Akhtar’s house with Farooq Shaikh and writer Raman Kumar during the film’s development. Produced by his batchmate Dilip Dhawan and financed by NFDC, the film was a labour of passion.
“That’s the only film in my career that didn’t pay me anything,” he said. “Today, something like this is unimaginable. We were driven purely by passion—whether it was shooting, song recordings, dubbing, or adding effects. Not once did I regret not being paid.”
Interestingly, the same film was once described by Neena Gupta as a “mistake” in her career. It starred Deepti Naval and Farooq Shaikh in the lead, with Neena in a supporting role.
