Jugal Hansraj may be best known for his charming role in Aditya Chopra’s romantic drama ‘Mohabbatein’, but his tryst with fame began much earlier, as a child star in Shekhar Kapur’s emotional masterpiece ‘Masoom’. The film, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, told a touching story about family, forgiveness, and innocence. Jugal played young Rahul Malhotra, a role that instantly won the audience’s heart and made him one of the most memorable child actors of the 1980s.
Jugal Hansraj reveals he first rejected ‘Masoom’
While ‘Masoom’ went on to become a timeless classic, Jugal revealed that he had initially turned it down. In a recent conversation with Radio Nasha Official, he admitted that his first reaction to the script was far from enthusiastic. He said, “My first reaction to the film was that this character is continually crying. Puri film mein roo raha hai. All my friends will call me as a cry baby. They will tease me, so I made up my mind that I don’t want to do it.”The young Jugal, like any child, worried more about his friends teasing him than the chance to act in a big film. However, Shekhar Kapur wasn’t ready to give up on his chosen Rahul so easily.
Shekhar Kapur’s persistence won him over
Jugal recalled how Shekhar Kapur’s warmth and patience eventually convinced him to say yes. “But then he really worked hard at convincing me. He used to come to our house, meet my parents, used to play cricket and board games with me. And slowly we became friends,” Jugal shared.The turning point came when Kapur took him to witness a recording session for one of the film’s songs. He revealed, “And then he took me to a recording of the song ‘Huzur Is Kadar’, and it was really fun. Pancham Da (RD Burman) was so sweet to me, gave me so much love, and allowed me to play with his instruments. I was very impressed and it hit me, if this is filmmaking, then I’m in for a ride. So perhaps I did the film because of Pancham Da. Then I only asked Shekhar, when are we starting?”
Dharmendra’s emotional reaction to ‘Masoom’
Among those deeply touched by the film was superstar Dharmendra. Known for his tough on-screen image, the veteran actor was so moved by Jugal’s performance that he couldn’t hold back his tears.Jugal shared a heartwarming story about Dharmendra’s reaction, “He had actually sent a message at home, and later called and told to my father that he cried for the first time after watching a film. To hide his tough on-screen persona he always used to cover his face with something before shedding tears. And he even said that if in future there is a good role about his on-screen son or something, he’ll only call on Jugal.”
Dharmendra promised to look after young Jugal
Dharmendra’s affection for the child actor didn’t stop there. Jugal went on to add, “He also told my father don’t worry much and said he would take care of me. My father immediately said that what about his school, so he assured my father that he will only call me for something during summer vacations.”That promise turned into a beautiful bond. “After that I spent the next four-five summer vacations with Dharam ji, in Ooty, Nainital, Kashmir, so I was shooting with him throughout,” Jugal fondly recalled.
Jugal Hasnraj on the work front
After ‘Masoom’, Jugal Hansraj grew up in the film industry and later became a familiar face in several notable films. He was last seen in ‘Nadaniyan’, starring Ibrahim Ali Khan, Khushi Kapoor and others. Go to Source
