By Jagmohan Singh Barhok

On His Birth Anniversary

After learning intricacies of theatre at the National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi in 1970s the actor ushered to Bombay for greener pastures to find dame luck smiling at him. He was cast opposite an established & talented actress Reena Roy in “Sau Din Saas Ke” (1980) followed by a role in “Aap To Aise Na The” starring Ranjeeta Kaur & Deepak Prashar. The film is best remembered for its song “Tu Is Tarah Se Meri Zindagi Mein Shaamil Hai” rendered by Mohammad Rafi, Hemlata & Manhar Udhas.

Indeed, there was no paucity of work for the budding actor as he was showered with many an offer to his delight. The period could well be said his ‘peak period’ as he worked in more than three dozen films between 1980 until 1984 like-‘Aap To Aise Na The’ (1980), ‘Kalyug’ , ‘Armaan’ , ‘Umrao Jaan’ ( 1981 ), ‘Jeevan Dhaara’, ‘Nikaah’ (1982), ‘Arpan’, ‘Agar Tum na Hote’, Mazdoor’ , ‘Naukar Biwi Ka’ (1983) & Aitbar” (1985) to name some.

The actor hit the bull’s eye with B. R. Chopra’s “Insaaf Ka Tarazu”, based on American rape thriller “Lipstick” featuring Zeenat Aman and nubile teenager Padmini Kolhapure. Raj Babbar rapes both of them one after another. In the Court, he feigns innocence pleading he was a victim of circumstances & should be acquitted. Some of the court sequences were replete with sex, especially those created during cross examination of the raped victims. Padmini Kolhapure won Filmfare best Supporting Actress Award for her bold performance. She was then barely 15. Babbar earned notoriety for his cunning manoeuvering as a rapist & for his violent portrayal. He gets killed in the end.

From the dawn of his career luck seemed to smile at the lad. His maiden Punjabi film “Chann Pardesi” (1981), also featuring Amrish Puri, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rama Vij & Om Puri, did wonders at the Box office front & won National Film Award. Samita Patil, in an informal meeting in Bombay with this writer, had expressed her desire to act in a realistic Punjabi movie. This desire of hers was apparently fired & triggered by Rama Vij’s role in the National Award winning movie under reference introducing many a new element in Punjabi cinema. It was highly acclaimed from all quarters & encouraged others to invest in Punjabi films. Raj Babbar plays Rama Vij’s son (out of wedlock). Smita Patil later worked in “Waris” produced by the same team with almost similar background. I met Raj Babbar, Kulbhushan Kharbanda & Smita Patil during the shooting, albiet brief, at a village near Karnal where I was then posted.

The actor also featured in some of the best Punjabi films like ‘Long Da Lishkara’ (1986) & ‘Marhi Da Deeva’ (1989). He also acted in the hit Punjabi films ‘Aasra Pyar Da’ (1983),’ Mahaul Theek Hai’ (1999), ‘Shaheed Uddham Singh’ (2000), ‘Yaaran Naal Baharan’ (2005), ‘Ek Jind Ek Jaan’ (2006), ‘Apni Boli Apna Des’ (2009) & ‘Tera Mera Ki Rishta’ (2009).

Babbar ventured to make inroads into politics joining the Janta Dal followed by his entry into Samajwadi Party where he remained active as MP, Rajya Sabha in 1994-1999 followed by another term as MP in the Lok Sabha. His differences caused his exit from the party to join Indian National Congress in 2008. He was elected MP from Uttar Pradesh in 2009 & lost to General V. P. Singh in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. His political career, it would be conceded, was comparatively not as illustrious as was his film career. Married Nadira Babbar & Smita Patil, the latter mother of Prateik babbar.

Received Five Filmfare Nominations . Born 23 June 954 at Tundla, Uttar Pradesh.