R K Sethi

Well-known film broker Raj Kumar Sethi, better known as R K Sethi, is known for films such as Half Ticket (1962), Mohabbat (1997) and Anubhav (1971). A popular film agent, he was close to film producers and distributors of yore, as well as to the current trade circles. He is reported to have struck numerous film deals in the course of a career spanning 70 years. 

He is credited as the business executive of the Kalidas-directed Half Ticket (1962), starring Kishore Kumar and Madhubala. A comedy romance, it told the story of a diamond thief who hides his loot on an innocent child, but the child turns out to be an adult posing as a youngster to purchase a half-priced train ticket. Now, the thief will have to outwit the eccentric in a series of wacky misadventures.

He was the film broker of Mohabbat (1997), directed by Reema Rakesh Nath. Starring Madhuri Dixit, Sanjay Kapoor, and Akshaye Khanna, the film revolved around two men from different backgrounds who fall in love with the same woman, but one has a deadly secret after a traumatic accident.

Sethi is also credited with producing the film Rakshash (1999), featuring Sunil, Ranjana, and Mushtaq Merchant, directed by S U Saiyed. 

He also made a guest appearance onscreen in Anubhav (1971), directed by Basu Bhattacharya, and starring Sanjeev Kumar, Tanuja and Dinesh Thakur. 

Respectfully called Sethi sahab in trade circles, most producers and distributors would have had the occasion of interacting—if not doing business—with him. Like the current lot of trade people, old-timers from Manmohan Desai’s era too fondly remember him as a smart film broker. Despite doing well as a film agent, Sethi loved to move around on his two-wheeler - the modest scooter - from one office or meeting place to another. He was known to be very close to the Hirawats — film producer Narendra and son Shreyans, who own a content distribution firm. Sethi had brokered several deals for world rights for them.

Despite his old age, Sethi remained in the thick of his profession till November 2019. He had been keeping unwell since a few months and had moved to be with his son in Nagpur for treatment.

R K Sethi passed away on 12 July 2020 in Nagpur due to age-related problems. He was 92. He was survived by two sons. His son Manish handles his father’s agency work.