In the ’80s, the star son who created a Hungama at Box-office was Kumar Gaurav, son of legendary superstar Rajendra Kumar. With his super hit debut movie Love Story (1983), Kumar Gaurav generated the kind of mass hysteria among girls that only superstar Rajesh Khanna created during his heydays. Girls went crazy at the mention of Kumar Gaurav‘s name, but unfortunately, the success did not last long. Wrong selection of films and astronomical sum that Kumar demanded from producers proved disastrous. In the mid-’80s, Rajendra Kumar re-launched him in the movie Naam, taking ace director Mahesh Bhatt and famed writer Salim Khan. Fortunately, the movie was a super hit, but tragically, instead of giving Kumar Gaurav the much-needed impetus, it catapulted Sanjay Dutt to stardom.
Fleeting Fame: Kumar Gaurav’s Story
The other actor who created a sensation like Kumar Gaurav in Bollywood was none other than the exceptionally beautiful actress Bhagyashree! Daughter of the Royal Patwardhan Marathi family of Sangli in Maharashtra, Bhagyashree stole the hearts of millions by her bewitching innocence and extraordinary beauty in Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). Rajshri Productions made a film on a shoestring budget that became an instant hit, thanks to its superhit songs and the adorable debutant pair, Bhagyashree and Salman Khan.! Movie buffs went crazy over the mesmerizing beauty of Bhagyashree and the macho personality of Salman Khan.
The movie’s success flooded Bhagyashree with offers, some of which were extremely lucrative, offering her huge sums of up to 10 lakhs per film – four times the standard rate for newcomers at the time. However, Bhagyashree ruined her career by insisting on her producers casting her husband, Himalaya, opposite her. Years later, she made a comeback but had to settle for TV acting.
Another star son that proved a flop at the box office included Manoj Kumar‘s son Kunal Goswami, who made his debut as a child star in Manoj Kumar film Kranti (1981). However, as a hero, he was a total washout. His flop films were Kalakaar, Ghungroo, Aakhri Baazi, etc.
Evergreen actor Dev Anand launched his son Suneil Anand as the hero in the film Anand Aur Anand (1984), but the film was a big flop. He did a few forgettable films like Car Thief (1986), Main Tere Liye (1988), and Master (2001), and the film industry forgot him.
Leave a Comment