Veteran actress Leena Chandavarkar, one of the most successful actresses of the 60s and 70s, is widely remembered for her memorable roles in Bollywood films. She was the fourth wife of the legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar. In a special conversation with Lehren, Leena opens up about the lighter side of Kishore Da, sharing some of his humorous and charming qualities that many may not know. In this exclusive throwback interview, she recalls her experiences with her late husband, Kishore Kumar, and also talks about their sons, Sumeet and Amit Kumar, offering a glimpse into their personal life. Don’t miss this heartfelt and candid conversation with the iconic actress. #leenachandavarkar #kishorekumar #amitkumar #lehrenpodcast #podcast
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00:00When someone asks me, how many children do you have, I say one dozen.
00:03I just started writing, I didn't tell you.
00:05Okay.
00:06So I write lyrics and some songs that have just been released on the second album.
00:11I didn't like meeting people.
00:13I don't know what was the reason for that.
00:15But whoever they liked, I liked them a lot.
00:20What would you do today?
00:22Look, my full-time job was to look after the people who left me.
00:26When someone asks me, how many children do you have, I say one dozen.
00:30Now you understand what I'm trying to say.
00:33So I had to do a lot of things to look after them.
00:36And it was a bit of a shock.
00:38Because Kishore ji, so many children...
00:41Even Amit was like that.
00:43I told you, when he used to come home, he used to call out to me.
00:46Sometimes he used to say, oh my God, I've run away.
00:48Let's go somewhere, they'll come to call me.
00:50He used to run away from school like a kid.
00:52So that's how it was.
00:53He used to tickle you.
00:55He used to tickle me and say, what should I do?
00:56The lights are off, I've been sitting here for an hour.
00:58How long should I sit here?
01:00I have to go out with the kids.
01:02He used to love me a lot like that.
01:04If he gave me something to eat, he used to bring it for me.
01:06That's how simple he was.
01:08He was very nice.
01:09Can you tell me about your children?
01:13About my children...
01:14Amit is a different story.
01:16He's an adult now.
01:20He's not like Kishore ji.
01:24He's very talented.
01:25But he's introverted.
01:26He composes in his room.
01:29He makes very good songs.
01:31I just started writing, I didn't tell him.
01:33So I write lyrics.
01:35And I've written a few songs.
01:37My second album has been released.
01:39And there's one more coming.
01:40Amit gave me a chance.
01:42I started writing dummy verses.
01:44I started writing songs too.
01:46So I like writing those.
01:48And I think in that...
01:51Sumit's father wanted him to learn piano.
01:56We didn't force him.
01:57But he showed a lot of interest in it.
02:00And he was playing it on his own without learning.
02:03Then Pyare ji said,
02:04if you play it wrongly, it sounds good.
02:08So we trained him.
02:10He's also very naughty.
02:11Very naughty.
02:13He puts on a mask to scare everyone.
02:15He's just like his father.
02:18Tell me about your ambition.
02:21Ambition...
02:23When I was 15 years old,
02:24my ambition was to become an artist like Meena ji.
02:28But I became a type.
02:31My first movie was Man Ka Meet.
02:33Before that, Masiha movie had been announced.
02:36With Dutt and Rajkumar.
02:39In that, Mumtaz...
02:40He also had a beautiful role.
02:43It was a warm role, but it was a beautiful role.
02:45So that got shelved in the middle.
02:47And after that, Man Ka Meet.
02:50And when I saw the Tamil version,
02:53I started crying.
02:53I said, I can't do all this.
02:55I didn't wear such clothes.
02:56I came from Dharwad.
02:58But Mrs. Dutt, Nargis ji,
03:01helped me a lot.
03:03She said, look, you can do whatever you want in front of the camera.
03:07But if you want to do what you're not,
03:10then take this as a challenge.
03:11You can do it.
03:13And people accepted me for Man Ka Meet.
03:15After that, Man Chali and all these roles.
03:18I met a glamorous role.
03:20What is your ambition now?
03:22Right now, my ambition is to take Sumit to a very good place.
03:26Just like his father's dreams.
03:29That's my big ambition.
03:31I live for today.
03:32I have my dogs, I have my family.
03:34That's all I write about.
03:37Because I'm scared of planning a lot.
03:40As it is.
03:41People say that Kishore was a genius and eccentric.
03:46At least we all know that he was definitely a genius.
03:49But why eccentric?
03:51You will say something.
03:53Maybe he used to say eccentric because,
03:55like I told you before,
03:57he liked it when someone called him crazy.
04:00I don't know why.
04:02Eccentric means he didn't hurt anyone.
04:05In this, his behavior was very serious sometimes.
04:12And sometimes he was very childish.
04:15You couldn't expect him to react this way to something.
04:20And sometimes I have seen that,
04:23for example, he asked me in an incident,
04:25Leena, did you hear anything about me?
04:27You have worked in films for so many years.
04:29So I said, what did I hear?
04:31I had heard it, but I didn't want to say it.
04:33So he said, what did you hear?
04:36So I said, that you sing very well.
04:38I was your fan and you did such good comedy.
04:42And genius and all.
04:44So he didn't like it, he wasn't enjoying it.
04:47So you didn't hear anything?
04:48And I was alone in that room, doing my makeup.
04:51A movie was being made, Pyaar Rajnobi.
04:54So he said, you didn't hear anything?
04:55I said, I didn't hear anything.
04:57After that, I can't do my face.
05:00Like a person becomes an animal,
05:01he wanted to be scared, he went crazy.
05:04So he kept talking, and I heard it, so I got scared.
05:07I said, I will start looking for my hairdresser, what will happen?
05:10As soon as he did this,
05:12he jumped and sat on the sofa and started jumping.
05:15So I said, yes, yes, I heard it.
05:17I closed my eyes and said, I heard you're crazy.
05:21Then he started laughing, I said, why didn't you say this earlier?
05:24You scared me.
05:25But Sumit and Amit laugh a lot.
05:28They showed me a movie about ghosts.
05:30I really enjoyed it.
05:31I said, Sumit is still young, he's not 18 years old, what are you doing?
05:35He said, no, no, I'm also a kid, both of them are watching.
05:38Like his nature.
05:39His nature, yes.
05:40He was like this before.
05:41He was like this before.
05:42Mom, he was very childish.
05:44And like I said, he didn't like to meet people.
05:50I don't know what was the reason for that.
05:52But whoever he liked, he liked a lot.
05:56When Sumit was born, he got married to me and he changed a lot.
05:59I don't know what he was like before.
06:01But Raj Kapoor also said, when he came here for his birthday,
06:06he used to call me Chela Babu.
06:07I said, I haven't been to Chela Babu's house yet.
06:09He said, I'm a superstar.
06:11I said, that's amazing.
06:13One day, you know, I want to tell you something very interesting.
06:17There are fights between husband and wife.
06:19Why did you come late?
06:20Which woman was on the phone?
06:21All this happens.
06:22I was very insecure.
06:24I was fourth, right?
06:26So, I shouldn't be fifth now.
06:29Or full stop.
06:30So, I was very tensed.
06:32So, that day, I don't know what I felt.
06:35I said, I'm going.
06:36I packed everything.
06:39So, at first, I was very scared.
06:41What did I do?
06:42Ego.
06:42I said, go.
06:43Go, if you want to go.
06:45Then I went to the watchman's office.
06:49So, I went there.
06:51And it was a suitcase.
06:53But before going, he came out and said,
06:56don't come back and don't talk to me ever.
06:58Not even on the phone, not like that.
06:59So, I said, yes.
07:01He said, I didn't say it.
07:02The one who talks first is a big idiot.
07:04So, I said, yes, okay.
07:06Okay?
07:06Then I said, get a taxi later.
07:09As soon as he opened the door to get the taxi,
07:12I saw that from a distance,
07:15a very big crew had come.
07:17Who were they?
07:18I'll tell you.
07:19Indira ji.
07:20It was in 1984, right?
07:21Yes.
07:22She had a singer by the name Bhawanjali.
07:24Shraddha Anjali too.
07:26So, they all came.
07:27With or without Yaqub.
07:29So, I don't know if I understood or not.
07:30It was a very big pain.
07:32And I said, hey, sister-in-law.
07:33So, where are you going?
07:34Because of you, this 8th Ajuba has changed.
07:37And you did this.
07:38You did a great job.
07:39I kept looking at them.
07:40I said, what are you saying?
07:42They said, where are you going?
07:43You can't go.
07:43Give us tea.
07:44Let's go home.
07:45I slowly, with my feet,
07:47gave a kiss to Surkis.
07:49And I quietly hung my face and came inside.
07:52And smilingly, I said, listen.
07:54Look at me like this.
07:56I became a donkey.
07:58I spoke like a donkey.
07:59After that, I kept looking at Ameet.
08:02Look, she's talking to me.
08:04She said, whatever you're talking about is a donkey.
08:06And after that, when everyone left,
08:08she laughed at me and said,
08:09it's not that easy to break.
08:12So, that's how I became a donkey.