Ranjeet Talks About Bollywood Parties Of The 1970s, 'Rajesh Khanna Would Drink 1-2 Bottles'

Ranjeet explained that his centrally located home in Juhu became a favored spot for industry folks to unwind and socialize, given its open-door policy and relaxed atmosphere.

Ranjeet shares anecdotes about hosting Bollywood gatherings in the 1970s.

Source : Ranjeet/Instagram.

New Delhi:Veteran actor Ranjeet, renowned for portraying antagonistic roles in films during the 1970s and 1980s, recently disclosed in an interview that despite frequently depicting characters indulging in drinking and smoking on screen, he has never consumed alcohol in his life. He revealed that despite being a teetotaler, he regularly hosted gatherings for his friends in the film industry, almost on a daily basis.

Ranjeet explained that his centrally located home in Juhu became a favored spot for industry folks to unwind and socialize, given its open-door policy and relaxed atmosphere.

Ranjit on hosting Bollywood gatherings on regular basis

Reflecting on these gatherings, he shared with ANI, "My parents lived in Delhi and I lived in Juhu, so everyone would gather there in the evening. There were no inhibitions or formalities or whatever." He emphasized that these soirées were not exclusive to male actors but also included female actors like Reena Roy, Parveen Babi, Moushumi Chatterjee, and Neetu Kapoor, each contributing their culinary skills to the mix. "Reena Roy would make paranthas, Parveen Babi would make drinks, Moushumi Chatterjee would make fish, Neetu Kapoor would make bhindi, it used to be that kind of atmosphere,” he said.

Ranjeet reminisced about luminaries such as Sunil Dutt, Raaj Kumar, Sanjay Khan, Feroz Khan, Dharmendra, and Shatrughan Sinha frequently attending these gatherings. He revealed that some actors, like Rajesh Khanna, were known to consume one or two bottles in a single night. Despite his abstention from alcohol, Ranjeet was a gracious host, attributing his hospitality to the belief that a welcoming home is blessed by the divine.

“I was blessed. I believed that the house that welcomes guests is blessed by god. I had enough space so I would entertain people. There was enough staff also,” he said.

Ranjit talks about working on multiple projects at one time

Regarding the late starts to the day resulting from these gatherings, Ranjeet humorously noted, "The heroes wouldn’t wake up before 2 pm. For a 10 am shift, all these heroes would come at lunchtime, have lunch, and then start shooting." This lifestyle influenced Ranjeet's decision to take on multiple film projects simultaneously, allowing him to make the most of his time on set without waiting for tardy co-stars.

Ranjeet's illustrious career includes notable performances in films such as "Dharmatama," "Namak Halaal," "Sharaabi," and "Lawaris," among numerous others.