A movie lover who outbid Aamir Khan

Sanjeev Malhotra has left all movie buffs behind, including Aamir Khan, in his love for Hindi films. An information and facilitation officer in a government department, Sanjeev is a proud owner of as many as 32 film posters and other memorabilia, including the scarf and sweater worn by Shammi Kapoor in Junglee and Andaz.

He along with his son, Manwin, paid Rs 16,27,087 for rare artifacts and posters, outbiding even Aamir Khan who was on the phone, at Osian’s Cinefan Auction of Indian cinema memorabilia recently.

Aamir, who was also bidd­i­ng for Shammi Kapoor’s collection managed to get only his jacket. But the credit for this also goes to Sanjeev whose son and wife are also great movie buffs. Aamir and wife Kiran Rao bid for six items valued at Rs 3,21,233.

“I didn’t know who was bidding over the phone. But like me, he too seemed a fan of Shammi Kapoor. After his scarf and sweater, I let the jacket go thinking that somebody else should also have one of his things.

“Had I known it was Aamir, I would have acquired the jacket also and gifted it to him personally,” Sanjeev shares with Metrolife.

Sanjeev has been a film buff since his childhood and his disability – the result of polio when he was just three years old – has not deterred him from either.

His proudest acquisition is the shehnai used by the late Shammi Kapoor in Rockstar but he is also very happy that he could acquire the autogr­a­phed cricket bat that Aamir Khan and his team used in Lagaan which he bought for Rs 1,75,464. He paid the same amount for Shammi Kapoor’s scarf and Rs 1,68,715 for his sweater.

“We have great admiration for the entire Kapoor family; from Raj Kapoor to Ranbir Kapoor. Of all the acquisitions. the shehnai is very close to my heart because that is the last prop used by Shammiji in a film,” says Sanjeev, who may ex­hibit his acquisition some day. “I would love to make these objects public one day so that movie lovers like me can also see them. I may build a separate room in my house just to display them,” he adds.

Sanjeev, who ‘eats’, sleeps and drinks films has also acquired a poster of Dilip Kumar starer Ganga Jamuna beca­u­se it features Kanhaiyalal – an actor whom he imitates very well – and two items related to Sunil Dutt and Nargis who he believes symbolised the greatest love story. He also acquired three posters and photographs related to Amitabh Bachchan.

Other than his love for Hindi films, participating in the auction is a first step towards making forays into the industry to help his son Manwin’s debut as an actor who runs a real estate business. “I am working on it. This is the first step to let the industry know that we exist,” he says.