The track in Manmohan Desai's 1977 film featured Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh along with Mukri. At that time it was an anthem for any lovelorn youth when the girl's father proved to be a roadblock.
Says Mukri's daughter Naseem, `People would refer to him as Tayyab Ali. The song was a big hit and is still popular. With Ekta using it in the film now, people are remembering him again. Today's youngsters may not be familiar with dad but now they know that there used to be an actor called Mukri.`
Naseem Mukri
She adds, `It is extremely rare to have a song dedicated to someone who is not the main lead of the film. Tayyab Ali was my dad's song; it was dedicated to the father of the heroine. Seeing it being replayed in a film after 36 years is proving to be sweet music to the ears. Of all the songs, Ekta singled this track out. It proves volumes of its appeal even after decades.`
Mukri, who passed away in 2000, is best remembered as Tayyab Ali and as Nathulal in Prakash Mehra's Sharaabi (1984) because of his co-star Amitabh Bachchan's dialogues Mooch ho to Nathulal jaisi..warna nahi ho. He was seen in scores of films essaying supporting roles.
None of Mukri's five children followed him into the film industry except for Naseem who is a writer. She pens for Pakistani serials and had earlier written the dialogues and screenplay for the Akshay Kumar-Shilpa Shetty starrer Dhadkan. Incidentally, Ekta Kapoor earlier wanted to cast Mukri in a TV serial. But as he was unwell he had declined.
