An insider’s list of what went inside the Yamla Pagla Deewana camp. Shh… Do not share this with anyone!
Generous Deols: The father-sons trio, Dharmendra, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, didn’t charge any money for working in Yamla Pagla Deewana. They agreed to take fees based on the revenues generated.
Garam Dharam: Dharmendra rejected the script of Yamla Pagla Deewana when he heard it the first time. Sunny and Bobby, however, were game for it. Dharmendra okayed it only when director Samir Karnik gave him a narration of the crisper version of the script with some changes.
Sick On Sets: Shooting on an elaborate set in Patiala had to be cancelled due to Dharmendra’s illness. The set was dismantled and had to be reconstructed.
Sunny’s Back Problem: Another set was dismantled without the shooting schedule being completed, when Sunny Deol’s back problem raised its ugly head. That set too had to be re-erected.
Unscripted Humour: In a comedy scene between Dharmendra and Johny Lever, the last part of the scene was an improvisation made while the scene was being picturised on the veterans. In the scene, Dharmendra asks Johny Lever to get a piece of jewelleryfor a lady whom he describes as being as good as his wife. After asking Dharamji about her age, Johny goes on to enquire about her skin tone. At this, garam Dharam snaps at Johny saying, “Arre yaar tu painting karne wala hain kya?” Johny Lever’s last poser and Dharamji’s reply to it were never a part of the original scene but the improvisations stayed because they went beautifully well with the rest of the scene.
Title Trouble: Yamla Pagla Deewana was not always called so. While the producers considered various titles, including ‘Made In Punjab’ and ‘Punjabi By Nature’, director Samir Karnik finally zeroed in upon Dharmendra’s hit song, Main jat yamla pagla deewana, from the 1975 film Pratiggya, for his film’s title. Dharmendra struck off the ‘Main jat’ from the title and they finalised Yamla Pagla Deewana.
Dance Baby Dance: Dharmendra has done his famous dance step, with one hand raised followed by the other hand, once in the title song of the film.
Sleeping On Sound: Director Samir Karnik spent three consecutive nights in the post-production studio working on the film’s mixing. “I didn’t have time to even change my clothes for three days,” smiles Karnik.
Controversy: Samir Karnik, whose name has been linked with the film’s heroine, Kulraj Randhawa, has gone to court against the journalist who and the newspaper which alluded to the affair.
Devgan Guns For YPD: Ajay Devgan has given commentary at the start of the film.
