Saira Banu reveals how Mehmood convinced Dilip Kumar to let her be a part of Padosan: ‘Sahab was tickled to the bone…’

Pados starred Saira Banu, Sunil Dutt, Mehmood, Kishore Kumar, Om Prakash, Mukri and Keshto Mukherjee.

The 1968 film Padosan, starring Saira Banu, Sunil Dutt, Mehmood, Kishore Kumar, Om Prakash, Mukri and Keshto Mukherjee, among others, is still considered one of the best comedies of Hindi cinema. However, it started when Saira got married to Dilip Kumar and was no longer interested in doing films. But it was actor-producer Mehmood's insistence that she agreed. This also included a funny encounter between Mehmood and Dileep.

Saira took to Instagram to recall how Mehmood visited her and Dileep and hugged the Devdas actor, refusing to let go until he allowed Saira to be a part of Padosan. However, Dileep shared that it was Saira's decision to start.

Saira Banu wrote, “We are talking about one of the most favorite films of my career, myself and the public in general. It is 'Padosan', a film for all occasions and ages. I am glad I did this because I refused to do any work right after my marriage. It was understood that I would not pursue a professional career. Just then Mehmood bhai rushed to Sahib as he had approached me earlier for this film, hugged him, and kept saying in rhetorical tones, 'Yusuf bhai you have to let Saira do this film for me. I won't let you go until you say yes please', Sahab tickled the bones and kept smiling, 'Mehmood is totally on Saira, you have to convince him. You have my full permission.”
Saira Banu, now 79, revealed that Mehmood shifted the shooting base to Madras (now Chennai) to keep Dilip Kumar and his wife closer to each other.

“At that time everyone knew that Sahib had shifted his shooting location to the South and Mehmood very thoughtfully committed to Sahib that he would shoot the film with me in Madras so that Sahib and I could be together. This was the “cherry on the cake” and I said yes to ‘Padosan’. I'm glad that out of the dozens of films I left, "Padosan" and "Poorab Aur Paschim" were not even one," she wrote.

Saira Banu further shared anecdotes from the shoot of Padosan. She wrote, "Mehmood bhai shared scenes from the Tamil version of 'Padosan' and I laughed my guts out. We started shooting in Madras, and the good thing is that it was a collection of comedians who created history with this film. The cast is so good." The manner in which Dutt saab was chosen was that even I was initially surprised to see Dutt saab as a simpleton "gaanwala", I mean who would have imagined it? Dutt saab jokingly says, "Sayraji ye kya hai, ye hum kya kar rah hai? Ham So 'Anthony and Cleopatra' I want to work, something romantic and glamorous.”

The actor added, "Until 'Padosan', I had not worked with Dutt saab, who was lively and funny. In contrast, Kishore ji was a very suave gentleman star who would respectfully get up from his seat as soon as any lady walked in." .The shooting was a killer. I would laugh so uncontrollably that the unit would turn off all the lights and say “Ruk jao, Abhi madam has rahi hai”. It was so hard for me to stop. Later, I will share anecdotes about PADOSAN that are both funny and interesting. is.”