Pushpa-level business in 1948? Sooraj Barjatya says his grandfather Tarachand Barjatya released the first Pan-India blockbuster, Chandralekha: “It was the Baahubali of those times” 1948 : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

Sooraj Barjatya had an interesting conversation with Mayank Shekhar of Mid-Day, during which he spoke about his films, his journey and also that of his production house, Rajshri Productions, started by his grandfather, Tarachand Barjatya. The Pan-India phenomenon is quite huge right now, which usually involves a Southern language film being dubbed into Hindi. Sooraj Barjatya revealed that it was his grandfather who probably began this trend.

Pushpa-level business in 1948? Sooraj Barjatya says his grandfather Tarachand Barjatya released the first Pan-India blockbuster, Chandralekha: “It was the Baahubali of those times”

Sooraj Barjatya began by saying that Tarachand Barjatya used to work as a manager in Kolkata in a Bengali film company, Chamaria Pictures. This production house allowed him to start a small side business and this is how Tarachand began distributing films.

Sooraj Barjatya said, “Whenever I used to talk to him (Tarachand Barjatya), he used to have tears in his eyes when he would speak about Gemini Pictures. He started a small distribution company in CP-Berar. He was wondering how to start his business. He went to the South and met S S Vasan, who had made Chandralekha (1948), a Tamil film. It was a big hit film. He told Mr Vasan, ‘Why don’t you dub it in Hindi and release it all-India?’. Vasan asked, ‘Who would watch it? For them, it’s a non-star cast’. But my grandfather insisted that he should attempt. It was a big film; it was like Baahubali of those times.”

Sooraj Barjatya continued, “They (Chandralekha makers) dubbed and even reshot some portions with actors to match the lip movement. When the dubbed version was ready to be released, Mr Vasan told my grandfather to meet him to ‘talk business’. Mr Vasan asked him what he would like in return for the idea that he gave him. My grandfather said, ‘Whatever you feel like’. He replied, ‘I want you to open the all-India distribution with this film. Abhi nahin toh kab karoge? I want you to become as big as me’. Hearing this, my grandfather began to cry.”

Sooraj added, “Chandralekha was released by us and it was a huge hit. It was as huge as a Pushpa today; that kind of business it did.”

Also Read: Sooraj Barjatya reveals M F Husain’s SHOCKING reaction after watching Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon: “He said, ‘Yeh tune kya banaya hai? Main paint brush fek ke aaya hoon screen pe’!”