Raj Babbar reveals how he dodged dancing in 'Hum Paanch' (1980)
Synopsis
Raj Babbar has revealed that the star-studded cast of 'Hum Paanch' — including Naseeruddin Shah — deliberately provoked choreographer Kamal Master into losing his temper so they could walk off the dance floor. The ruse worked, Boney Kapoor had to intervene, and the actors resorted to intense hand movements as their substitute for dancing.
Key Takeaways
Raj Babbar shared the anecdote on 'The Kapil Sharma Show' , recounting events from the 1980 film 'Hum Paanch' .
Babbar and Naseeruddin Shah were among the non-dancing cast members who conspired to avoid choreography by provoking dance master Kamal Master .
Mithun Chakraborty was the only cast member who performed the dance steps as required.
Producer Boney Kapoor intervened to resolve the standoff; the situation ended with the group becoming friends. 'Hum Paanch' was released on 19 December 1980 and was a major box-office hit; it marked Boney Kapoor's debut as a producer.
The film is a remake of the 1978 Kannada drama 'Paduvaaralli Pandavaru' directed by Puttanna Kanagal .
Veteran actor Raj Babbar has revealed a behind-the-scenes story from the making of the classic 1980 ensemble drama 'Hum Paanch', disclosing how he and his co-stars deliberately provoked their choreographer to avoid performing dance sequences. Babbar shared the anecdote on 'The Kapil Sharma Show', offering a rare candid glimpse into the making of one of Bollywood's most celebrated multi-starrers.
The Great Dance Escape
Babbar explained that the film's cast was largely made up of actors with no dancing background — including himself and Naseeruddin Shah. Mithun Chakraborty was the sole exception. Faced with the demanding choreography of dance master Kamal Master, the non-dancing actors hatched a plan.
'So, this syndicate decided that we'll do something. We will make him (Kamal Master) abuse us, and when he abuses us in front of so many people, we'll get angry and will refuse to dance,' Babbar recounted.
The scheme played out exactly as planned. Mithun dutifully performed the steps while the others deliberately fell short, prompting the choreographer to lose his composure. 'First, there was a sound — Cut, cut, cut, cut. After that, a loud noise came from the bottom, and we stood up and walked the other way round,' Babbar recalled.
Boney Kapoor Steps In
Producer Boney Kapoor — for whom 'Hum Paanch' was his debut production — rushed over to defuse the situation. The standoff eventually resolved amicably, with the cast and choreographer reportedly reaching a mutual understanding and becoming friends.
Babbar also joked about the workaround the actors settled on: 'We used to follow the crowd around us and do some hand movements. We concentrated so much on the hand movements and with such great intensity that our hands probably seemed better than Mithun.'
About 'Hum Paanch'
Directed by Bapu, 'Hum Paanch' featured an extraordinary ensemble cast including Sanjeev Kumar, Shabana Azmi, Mithun Chakraborty, Deepti Naval, Naseeruddin Shah, Raj Babbar, Uday Chandra, Gulshan Grover, and Amrish Puri. The film was released on 19 December 1980 and went on to become a major box-office success.
The film is a Hindi remake of the 1978 Kannada drama 'Paduvaaralli Pandavaru', directed by Puttanna Kanagal. Notably, director Bapu had also adapted the same source material into Telugu the same year as 'Mana Voori Pandavulu'. The Hindi version marked Boney Kapoor's first outing as a producer — a career that would go on to span decades of landmark productions.
Why the Story Still Resonates
Anecdotes from the golden era of Hindi cinema rarely surface with such specificity and humour. Babbar's account not only humanises some of the industry's most revered performers but also underscores how differently films were made in that era — where star power and personal chemistry often shaped production decisions as much as formal planning. This is precisely the kind of behind-the-scenes texture that fans and film historians find invaluable.
Point of View
The production hierarchy was fluid enough for the cast to collectively override a choreographer — and for the producer to have to run after them. Babbar's account is also a reminder that 'Hum Paanch' succeeded despite, not because of, its stars' dancing. In today's era of hyper-choreographed numbers and dance-reality-show crossovers, the idea that a top-tier Bollywood film could be held together by hand movements and crowd-following feels almost revolutionary.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Raj Babbar reveal about 'Hum Paanch' on 'The Kapil Sharma Show'?
Raj Babbar revealed that he and fellow non-dancing cast members, including Naseeruddin Shah, deliberately provoked choreographer Kamal Master into abusing them so they could refuse to dance and walk off the set. The plan worked, and producer Boney Kapoor had to intervene to resolve the standoff.
Who were the main cast members of 'Hum Paanch' (1980)?
The film featured an ensemble cast including Sanjeev Kumar, Shabana Azmi, Mithun Chakraborty, Deepti Naval, Naseeruddin Shah, Raj Babbar, Uday Chandra, Gulshan Grover, and Amrish Puri. It was directed by Bapu and produced by Boney Kapoor.
What is 'Hum Paanch' a remake of?
'Hum Paanch' (1980) is a Hindi remake of the 1978 Kannada drama 'Paduvaaralli Pandavaru', directed by Puttanna Kanagal. Director Bapu had also adapted the same story into Telugu in 1978 as 'Mana Voori Pandavulu'.
Was 'Hum Paanch' a box-office success?
Yes, 'Hum Paanch', released on 19 December 1980, was a major box-office hit. It also marked Boney Kapoor's debut as a film producer.
Why could most of the 'Hum Paanch' cast not dance?
Raj Babbar explained that the film's cast was largely composed of dramatic actors with no formal dancing background. Mithun Chakraborty was the only cast member capable of performing the choreographed steps, which is what made the situation with dance master Kamal Master particularly fraught.
