Jeetu ji Has Been a Rock, Mentor and Guide to Me: Anand Pandit on Jeetendra's Birthday

When Jeetendra was making a mark on the Hindi film industry, Anand Pandit, who grew up watching his rollicking hits, had no idea that destiny would connect him to the jubilee star. Or that he would be referred to as a veteran producer one day. As Jeetendra turns 79 on April 7, Pandit recalls, "When I met Jeetu ji, nobody knew me in Mumbai. I literally arrived in the city of dreams with nothing but dreams. I was fortunate that at that time, Jeetu ji came into my life, took me under his wing, motivated and inspired me and gave me the confidence to reach where I have today. He is a self-made man who knows how hard it is to make it big in this industry but his own example proves that it is possible to succeed with dedication and hard work."

Even though Jeetendra has retired from the silver screen, he continues to be a benign presence in Pandit's life. He says, "Jeetu ji has been a rock, a mentor and guide to me.Till date, when I need advice or some insight, I turn to him and he always gives me a very incisive point-of-view. He turns 79 this year but he is forever young and still as simple and full of life as when he first started his career all those decades ago."

Anand Pandit's much-awaited production, Abhishek Bachchan starrer 'The Big Bull' will release on 8 April 2021 on Disney+Hotstar.