Shakti Kapoor's brother mistaken for him on Khuda Kasam shoot
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Veteran Bollywood actor Shakti Kapoor has shared a laugh-out-loud anecdote from the sets of the 1981 drama Khuda Kasam — a case of mistaken identity that saw producer Baldev Pushkarna nearly drag Kapoor's brother to a film shoot instead of the actor himself.
How the Mix-Up Unfolded
During his appearance on the popular comedy chat show 'The Kapil Sharma Show', Shakti Kapoor recalled that an astronomical event prompted him to lock himself inside his room rather than head to the shoot that day. His brother, who was visiting him in Mumbai at the time, was lounging on the couch in the hall when producer Baldev Pushkarna arrived to pick up the actor.
Given the striking resemblance between the two brothers, Pushkarna reportedly did not notice the swap and proceeded to pull the visitor off the couch with characteristic urgency. 'Come, come for the shoot. You are sitting here and watching TV, come,' Pushkarna reportedly told him. A flustered Shakti Kapoor's brother responded by insisting, 'I am not him, I am not him. I am his brother.'
About the Film Khuda Kasam
Released in 1981, Khuda Kasam was a drama directed by Lekh Tandon and produced by Baldev Pushkarna. The film starred Vinod Khanna and Tina Munim in the lead roles, with a strong supporting cast that included Pran, Ajit, Madan Puri, Nazneen, and Kamini Kaushal. Shakti Kapoor and Bollywood's so-called 'He-Man', Dharmendra, also featured — the latter in a special appearance.
On the technical side, the film's music was composed by the celebrated duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, with Jehangir Choudhary handling cinematography and Prabhakar Supare heading the editing department.
Shakti Kapoor's Decades-Long Career
Shakti Kapoor made his Bollywood debut in 1977 with Khel Khilari Ka and has since appeared in more than 700 films across a career spanning over four decades. He carved out a distinctive screen presence — often as the memorable villain or comic foil — in blockbusters such as Qurbani (1980), Hero (1983), Himmatwala (1983), Raja Babu (1994), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), and Judwaa (1997).
The anecdote offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the freewheeling, often chaotic world of early 1980s Bollywood, where superstitions and scheduling could collide in ways that even a seasoned producer could not anticipate.