Rarely do we have films that catapult actors to instant stardom and make them the heartthrob of an entire country. While Bollywood is rich in blockbuster titles, one of the standout films on this list is Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. The 1988 release was one of the biggest hits of the year and provided Hindi film talent that would later restructure how romance was portrayed on screen.
Kayamat Se Kayamat Tak glorified Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla, not to mention singing icons Udita Narayan and Alka Yagnik. The musical blockbuster also starred actor Raj Zutshi in one of his first roles. Raj played Aamir’s on-screen cousin. The two had a close bond for several years and remain connected by family ties; Raj later starred in several films starring Aamir, including Lagaan (2001).
On the sidelines of Lagaan’s 20th anniversary celebration last year, Raj spoke to indianexpress.com about his connection to Aamir and how Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak changed their lives when the song became a hit.
“With all the young and new faces, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak took the country by storm. And in those days, a film that ran for 50 weeks was a huge achievement. So, when it was declared a hit, the producers of Nasir Hussain Films, along with (director) Mansoor Khan, thought of taking us on a tour of various cities in India to interact with the audience. We went to places like Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore, Hyderabad,” recalled Raj.
The top-notch actor revealed that the team, including Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla, director Mansoor Khan and producer Nasir Hussain walked around the theaters during the intermission to see the reaction of the audience and talk to them. “People were stunned to see us. In some places we were accompanied even by Imran (Khan). He played young Aamir in QSQT.”
Aamir Khan and Raj Zutshi in a still from the movie Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.
Raj went on to share that due to the hype surrounding the film, they tried to visit as many theaters as possible. “In one city, we chose theaters that were nearby in order to cover the maximum number of halls in a short period of time,” he said.
Recounting the incident, Raj said that during one such visit to Bangalore, the organizers took the stage to remind them that they needed to go to the next theatre. “But people wanted to hold us back longer than what we had in our hands.”
Raj said that, sensing that the audience was about to go crazy, the theater staff asked them to leave through the back door. “I remember sitting in the front of the car with Sir Mansour and the driver. Aamir and Juhi sat in the back. The cinema hall was located in a building that also had private offices. So when people saw that we were leaving so quickly, they were furious. A brick was thrown from the terrace into our car, which was trying to leave the premises. He shattered the windshield and we were hit by pieces of broken glass. We told the driver to just speed up and drive away,” Raj shared.
Although today Raj Zutshi recalls all this with a smile, calling it the love of the public, he still says that at that time it was a terrible experience. “But as much as we appreciate the love of the audience, we must also accept their anger,” he concluded.
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak holds the record for completing a golden jubilee after crossing 50 weeks at the box office, which for the time was a huge feat. It was later released in China in 1991, becoming Aamir Khanthe first film to premiere there.
The film won the National Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, in addition to dozens of top awards on several other platforms. It continues to be an integral part of Indian pop culture.