Exclusive - 'I was scared of him': Kanwaljit Singh recalls working with Amitabh Bachchan in 'Satte Pe Satta'

Kawaljit Singh worked with Big B in Satte Pe Satta.

Veteran actor Kanwaljit Singh, known for his understated grace and sensitive portrayals, recently opened up in an emotional interview with Moneycontrol about his life in cinema, the ups and downs of being a working actor, and a deeply cherished memory with megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

Kawaljit Singh, whose career spans nearly five decades, made his film debut in the mid-1970s after graduating from FTII Pune.

Though his rise wasn’t meteoric, it was sustained—with memorable performances in films like Shaque, Satte Pe Satta, Chhaap Tilak, and Hum Rahe Na Hum.

But it was Television that made him a household name, especially with his roles in Buniyaad, Farmaan, Saans, and Family No. 1.

One of Kawaljit Singh’s early defining film moments was sharing screen space with megastar Amitabh Bachchan in Satte Pe Satta (1982). Recalling the experience, he told us: “Main bada ghabrata tha inse, ‘Satte Pe Satta’ ke time pe…”

Kawaljit Singh, a rising actor back then, was acting alongside the biggest star of that era. Yet, what happened off set left a deeper impression.

“After filming, Amitabh ji would come to our hotel, and we would play snooker. I was so nervous that whenever I hit a good shot, I would look at him and say, ‘Sorry.’ And he said, ‘Why are you sorry? That was a good shot.’”

Kawaljit with Big B and Hema Malini in Satte Pe Satta

Years later, Big B's unexpected gesture became a moment Kawaljit still cherishes.

“He even attended my son’s art exhibition, he told his secretary, ‘Arrange dates for Kuku… I want to go.’ That was very sweet.”

Kawaljit Singh, who often played fatherly or morally upright characters, seemed to live that same emotional authenticity off-screen.

Kawaljit was seen as the stern father in law in the hit movie Mrs, which streamed on Zee 5.