A Pavitra Rishta had a long way to go ! RIP Sushant Singh Rajput !

As the obituary messages started pouring in for Sushant Singh Rajput, a parallel content emerged in the media comparing the unknown warriors who sacrifice their lives day in and day out.

A plethora of emotions question the EQ of the people who go into a shock for being hyper sensitive when a celebrity departs.

The fact of the matter is that every life is important and untimely exit causes a heartbreak for all those to whom the departure or the departed matters.

We all live in cocoon and have our own world perfectly built according to our own nests. A decorated corporate professional is a non entity as he enters a hospital. A larger than life doctor would be an unknown personality as soon as he or she occupies a seat in the flight. The pilot for that matter is then a star for all till he takes us to our safe destination only to be forgotten as soon as the passengers disembark the aircraft.

We are helped by many such unknown heroes in our lives who could be our own soldiers, police, economists and many more. Unfortunately all these professions are masked by their responsibilities wrapping their names under the roles they perform. The heroes in their own fields become mere mortals outside their own profession.

Each profession has its own ups and downs and the mortal professionals find a reason to celebrate or come out of their monotonous professional or personal hazards by following and celebrating a life of public figure.

The pressure on the public figure is no different than the challenges faced by any common or decorated mortal. However the difference lies in the fact that the public figure is part of the lives of the people and when they make an untimely exit, the emotions soar on a public platform.

Let’s not compare the deaths of a celebrity or an unknown entity. Both hurt equally and impact the lives of those left behind. Life is a gift of god and may all those unknowns who protect us be blessed forever 🙏🙏

May the soul of Sushant Singh Rajput RIP 🙏🙏

Image Courtesy: BDC-TV

Disclaimer: The article is a personal expression on the exit of an actor and intends to look into the public emotions and opinion in an individual capacity.

Celebrating Life ! Rishi Kapoor 🙏

The cute next door boy is no more and they say Rishi Kapoor,67 is dead.

An ageless, chubby and happy go lucky boy will no longer be seen in public life but then, he will never grow old as well.

Some people always carry positive vibes and Rishi Kapoor was synonymous with them. Whatever was the role, you always ended up liking him. If Chocolate boy in Bobby, Sagar and Chandani was loved forever then Rauf Lala was appreciated for a talent which was never seen before.

A powerhouse of talent couldn’t deliver a hit in  ‘Aa ab laut chale..’ and we missed making of a legendary director forever.

The entertainment industry is full of characters and faces but none amongst them are a match to Kapoor lineage. The family, over the years have become an important component of our lives. If Prithviraj Kapoor was favourite of our grandfathers, then Raj Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Ranbir have ensured that the connect is passed on to the next generations.

There are few who can live on their own terms. Recollect those days, when working in shifts was a norm, Rishi Kapoor worked only in general shift and still remained successful. When he wanted to speak out against the naming of institutions or monuments by a particular family name, he was loud and clear. His love for drinks was legendary when he expected wine shops to be opened during lockdown period.

Rishi Kapoor, will always be remembered for his enthusiasm, innocence and for speaking his mind, whatsoever was the public opinion.

The boy next door is no more a reality, but isn’t it true that there would never be any affable boy who was as good as Rishi Kapoor.

RIP is not the way we conclude Rishi Kapoor’s life.

Let’s celebrate the life of one and only ‘Rishi Kapoor’.

🙏🙏🙏

Image Courtesy: Deccan Herald

Disclaimer: The article is a personal homage to one of the most loved innocent boys of film industry Rishi Kapoor and thanks him for making us fall in love with him and life again and again.

Remembering Irrfan ! The other Khan 🙏

Some people have a habit of arriving quietly and make their presence felt in due course of time and when they exit, they leave without letting anyone know about it(quietly), but as the fact dawns, it’s already too late and they are missed forever.

A quiet personality called Irrfan Khan made an exit when the world is confined to home and Irrfan may not get the farewell, he truly deserved.

When the world was all about love stories, action or art films, an actor in Irrfan made his entry through content based roles. With the Khans ruling the box office, here was a khan in a complete contrast to the trio and one wondered how far the new khan had the potential to make a place for himself, rather he was ignored in a corner of living room in a medium known as idiot box(Television).

Irrfan Khan’s early TV serials made it sure that he was seen in some small but meaty roles which were worth a watch but not necessarily be remembered for a long time. Any other personality, would have lost the patience and perseverance to make a mark for himself but not Irrfan. Slowly but steadily, we started taking a note of a tremendous actor in Irrfan and after years of struggle, he established himself as an actor who was commercially successful without loosing his own identity.

After seeing someone going through a struggle for more than 20 years, one would have loved to see Irrfan bask in the glory of success and in return we would have seen some memorable performances in the future. The kind of talent Irrfan had, we might have just seen a tip of the iceberg through ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘Life of Pi’, ‘Pikoo’ and never to forget the initial days of ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’.

A life is always born with an exit date, however the humans are not aware of it and as the saying which never goes wrong, “Man proposes and God disposes” is proved once again and a promising life has come to an end.

Irrfan might have left but not before proving to the world that an actor is known for the characters he play and not by the name he carries.

RIP Irrfan !!

Image Courtesy: Newsbaba

Disclaimer: The article is a personal homage to one of the finest actor of our times Irrfan Khan ( He added extra ‘r’ in his name) for the characters he played and liveliness he bought on the screen.

The mystic Diva! Divya Bharti

As I was browsing through some newspapers, a small corner on one of the pages, remembered the late actress Divya Bharti on her 46th birth anniversary. 

All of 16 years and a special talent was launched on the big screen and by the time she turned 19, she was gone. Only 3 years in film industry and to be remembered even after 27 years of her death, then she was by all means a super talent for sure.

The death was not natural and many stories floated around. The buzz ranged from marital discord, some underworld connections to assuming that she was not able to handle the pressures of glamour world and its demands. The fact of the matter is, a young girl lost her life for no cause and the reasons remained suppressed forever.

The reality might be hidden and the truth never prevailed, but for those 3 years, Divya Bharti had a dream run and she gave all those superstars, jitters worth a remember. The girl next door image was enough for teenagers to find a new youth icon whose rise was meteoric and the fall was equally unfortunate (a literal fall to death)to make her a memory in no time.

Some people are born to make a mark in short life and their exits are remembered forever. Who knows? How the Bollywood history would have been written had the teenage sensation of Divya Bharti lived a normal life rather than being called the mystic diva.

Image Courtesy: Navbharat Times

Disclaimer: The article primarily brings in lost memories of a teenage sensation and does not comment on any cause of the untimely exit of the late actor Divya Bharti.

Remembering Dr.Lagoo !

In a grateful gesture, the media was kind enough to come out of its debate mode to give a breaking news of sad demise of legendary actor Doctor Lagoo .

I am not a regular cinegoer and may not be a right person to talk about the kind of cinema Dr. Lagoo did. However, I can vouch for the fact that whichever role Dr.Lagoo enacted, he always came across as an actor par excellence.

Cinema is full of its stories and drama with actors or overrated ones, coming out with roles which are larger than life. But when one saw Dr.Lagoo on the screen, it was always a real life character which could be seen across all walks of life.

There are very few, who can remain true to self and Dr. Lagoo was certainly one of them.

I remember trusting him as a child for Dabur Chyawanprash. The very same advertisement had created a controversy for Dr.Lagoo considering a fact that a doctor is not supposed to publicise any product. But, the man was always convinced what he was upto.

A father in Dr. Lagoo remained composed even in death of his his beloved son Tanveer( named after theatre actor Habeeb Tanvir, showing Dr. Lagoo’s non-religious and human first philosophy) in a stone pelting incident while traveling in train. May be we should always remain indebted to him, as the instance might have opened government eyes to come out  with protected window shields in the trains. Never know, but the incident might be the beginning of recluse of Dr.Lagoo from active cinema and theatre.

Very few people can come across as no-nonsense personality and whenever, wherever or whichever the platform are presented to them, they always come out as people of conviction, having an inner discipline and can speak their minds. The other name of such personalities is Dr.Shreeram Lagoo.

After winding up his medical profession in Africa, the doctor in him became a full time actor but as they say you are always known by your first profession and Dr Lagoo will always be remembered as a fine actor who was, once a renowned doctor.

Maharashtra looses another son and may his soul rest in peace.

‍ ‍Dr.Lagoo ‍‍

Remembering Kalia ! The real Viju Khote 🙇‍♂️

Obituaries are always sad but whenever they are written, they talk about all the bigwigs of politics, industries, icons or film stars who have a larger than life image and entertain us.

But there always are some silent contributors who work tirelessly, selflessly and perform to perfection for whatever comes to their platter, irrespective of the quantum and still manage to make a place for themselves.

One such personality, the one and only ‘Kalia’, Viju Khote passed away without letting the world know that he was unwell. The silence is more saddening considering the new trend of popularity hype which all newcomers generate through reality shows and get an instant fame. 

‘Sholay’ by all means is the biggest landmark of Hindi Film Industry and is known for its talented crowd gracing the big canvas to perfection. To make a mark in the shortest of roles possible by delivering an all time memorable dialogue  “सरदार मैंने आपका नमक खाया है”, Viju Khote not only made himself immortal but also proved “ रोल बड़ा होना चाहिए लंबा नहीं”.

It’s a tough rule of life that one gets stuck in his image and to break those shackles is not easy. Viju Khote was liked and seen till almost recently and whichever the roles he had, they were worth remembering whether it was Shambhu Kaka of ‘Golmaal 3’or Shirish Appa of ‘Ventilator’ in Marathi.

I am not a big fan of movies, but some losses hurt and when a humble human being makes an exit, the emotional connect strengthens more.

Maybe Viju Khote deserved more, but whatever he gave us will always be cherished and he will remain in our memories forever.

RIP Kalia ! The real Viju Khote 🙇‍♂️ 🙇‍♀️ 

Disclaimer: The blog doesn’t talk about the film industry and its actors. It’s going back down the memory lane for one of the finest actors of Marathi and Hindi film industry. 

Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Madhuri Dixit : In your own bucket list !

As a college going teenager, you come across one of the most beautiful girl you have ever seen. She sometimes looks pretty, sometime bold and many times gives homely vibes too !!

She keeps meeting you quite regularly and you are used to her. You develop a special bond with her and always look forward for seeing her again. Each time, you meet her you realize she is more talented than what you had thought .

Your friends, neighbours, relatives all love her and for a change your parents approve your choice and may be, like her more than probably you do!

Being a Maharashtrian, you wish she would speak Marathi but she doesn’t and whenever she is a asked about it, she comes out with an affluent English and talks about her love for Marathi and her obsession with Maharashtrian food. Though you are not convinced, that effervescent smile makes you believe her and your wait continues.

Years pass by, she is not visible regularly and one fine day in the month October comes a flash about her marriage and she moves to US. Whatever appearances thereafter, even her Hindi and English become more American and one starts realizing that Marathi will never happen.

Few years down the line, she is almost semi retired but is seen sometimes and out of blue moon, comes the News of her going Maharashtrian way and that too fully! Your long time wishlist is fulfilled and you immediately establish that long lost connect with her.

That’s the ‘Bucket List’ and she is ‘The Madhuri Dixit’ for you !

After ruling our hearts and making all Maharashtrians proud for more that 30 years, she comes back with the same exuberance, amazing screen presence and that Bubbly(by the way her pet name) smile which made all of us fall in love with her.

Madhuri Dixit-Nene, you did it previously with elan and you can make it happen even today !

‘Bucket List’ is worth a watch and even if you don’t understand Marathi (subtitles obviously help) make it to theatres to complete a tick on your own ‘Bucket List’.

P.S. The views mentioned in the blog are primarily an expression of Madhuri Dixit's fan being extremely proud of her achievements along with her Maharashtrian lineage only and it does not intend or comment on any language and its supremacy.

- Jayawant

Story of a Blackbuck

Somewhere deep inside the jungles of Rajasthan, it was a celebration time for herds of blackbucks as they rejoiced the verdict against the killing of their forefathers some 20 years back. They were wondering the laws of mankind as rules of jungles differ and are in absolute contrast but ‘BEING HUMAN’ we are used to the ways justice prevails in our society.

The herds might not even be aware that the judgement review will unfold few years down the line and offsprings of current generation if they don’t extinct might realise that :

1) Their forefathers had a tendency to commit suicide and that is the real cause of their extinction or

2) Over the generations and evolution of science it might be a case of speed of blackbuck exactly matching the velocity of a bullet triggered through a gun, so it was a mere accident as the bullet and blackbucks started at the same time to cross the paths 🙂 or

3) It was  an usual story to run fast to rush home without looking at the traffic as wife of the blackbuck had some plans to go out in the evening and the black buck hit the traversing bullet in a hurry or

4) It could  be a case of blackbucks were killed by the tiger as ‘BEING HUMAN’s we don’t kill them or

5) Was it a ‘Live Barbecue’ for a bunch of friends .

Only time would identify or rather prove the real cause in years to come.

The verdict makes us wonder if it is more to do with individual beliefs considering the fact that black bucks ensured integrity by Bishnois and when it came to humans being dead , the belief in stardom or money tilted the integrity.

We BEING HUMANs need to understand one fact that humans or non humans, each living or non living thing has an equal right to stay on the planet earth.

P.S. The views mentioned in the blog are personal and are not directed towards any individual. It’s a farcical story from Blackbuck’s viewpoint.

- Jayawant

RIP Sridevi : Exit Of The Magnanimous Queen

RIP Sridevi !!

Some people do not exist in your lives or you are unaware . Celebrities are like that . You like them or hate them but you can never ignore them. They become part and parcel of your day to day lives through their work and are part of your good and bad times without you being aware of their existence. When they exit, you realise it and it hurts !!

Sridevi was amongst such people who ruled the entire young generation of our times as we awaited the release of her films and were astonished by her dancing skills and a very different kind of aura she carried on the screen.

Ordinary to one of the prettiest, non actor to few of the finest actors , raw to one of most dignified and class apart personalities, may be  due to the influence of South Indian icon Rekha , Sridevi made a story worth a tell and to remember.

Second innings was due and when the stars are around with actors being a scarcity , she was needed the most. Sri left too early to even think or write about her obituary.

As they say in ‘Mayanagari’, The Show Must Go On !! The Bollywood would move on , the fans will find new stars or Icons but somewhere there , a place for Sridevi would always remain in their hearts , may be without being aware or      whenever the screens lit up with Sridevi movies.

A true Nagina without too much of Maqsad in life for superstardom and not much of English Vinglish but sadly not to be alive as Mom for daughter’s debut movie sums up Sridevi’s life.

A personality arrived , conquered and lived the life Queensize !

Time to say bye bye to magnanimous Sridevi !

- Jayawant

Shashi Kapoor - End Of The Effervescent Smile

RIP Shashi Kapoor !!

As the youngest of the supremely talented brother trio starts his eternal journey into sunset , the cinema would lose one of the most handsome and natural actors to rule in the golden years of Bollywood.

The effervescent smile , making a mark in title role or playing second fiddle and still walking away with ‘Mere Paas Ma Hai’ with ease was something which only he could do.

Likhe jo khat tujhe , Tum bin jaoon kaha, Ek tha Gul aur ek thi Bulbul , no other actor could have been sweeter than him on the screen . As a supremely gifted natural actor , he carried serious roles and films like Junoon , New Delhi Times to comical villain in Utsav , with elan and made his mark on the silver screen.

Always wished his movies which were ahead of times like Ajooba  or off the beat productions like Utsav did well but the audience had different liking and we lost the opportunity to watch different kind of cinema from a very highly talented director and producer ever.

Being the younger brother of the greatest Showman and the best dancing star and son of larger than life kind of a personality,making a presence felt needs a special attitude and efforts and Shashi did it in style.

Was pleased to see him probably for the last time when he received Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015 .Wish such awards are bestowed to such legends a bit early in the career when they could bask in the glory and are in good health.

The shy Kapoor will be missed for long times to come for sure and the smile and legend of Shashi will remain with us forever !!

-Jayawant

Secret Superstar

After a long time , I went for a movie and this time the 3 generations (my parents, me and my wife and my daughters)  made it to the theatre for Secret Superstar. The excitement was already at its pick with few of the chartbusters by now already making it to must listen list.

The movie picked up the interest right from the word GO and it turned out to be an amazing treat for all of us and the only word which could describes the movie as fantabulous !!

As usual stellar performance by Amir Khan , Zaira Wasim moving one step up towards the category of thinking actresses, Meher Vij establishing herself as the new mom of silver screen and the enite other cast justifying their roles playing it to perfection. The story of a suppressed child and supporting mother is a real tribute to all the mothers and touches the hearts of the audience.

To keep 3 generations of audience glued to the seats need a gripping story and a talented story teller and director.The real secret superstar of the film is Advait Chandan. To start your innings as a writer director believing yourself and following your own conviction has turned out into a truly amazing film on the silver screen.

The movie is worth a watch for anyone who loves to see the movies having a content and Secret Superstar fits it to perfection.

My GOD says ‘Chase your dreams , they do come true’ and I could see this come  very true for Advait Chandan !!

-Jayawant

RIP Vinod:The Eternal Khanna !!

Whilst coming back from work  , as usual I switched on the FM and all the stations were already in RIP Vinod Khanna mode . Was wondering whether I thank them for their condolences to the megastar or slam them for making use of any sad or happening instance into a TRP opportunity, nonetheless I could traverse my thoughts backwards into one of the most handsome men of Bollywood Vinod Khanna's beautiful journey in Indian Cinema.

From Mere Apne to Dabangg via milestones of Mukaddar ka Sikandar , Qurbani , Amar Akbar Anthony, Chandni , HeraPheri and so many memorable roles. I still remember watching MKS in its 50th week after release, Qurbani running to full house after 10 years of re-release. Which superstar  can achieve it today ?

Khanna left all the glory and instead of continuing as the 2nd best of all times,moved to the US of A to be disciple of OSHO . It’s extremely difficult to leave the pole position and keep aside everything to choose a path of mental peace and what one believes in. No normal mortal would have that kind of courage except for the real Punjab da Putar Vinod Khanna.

Vinod Khanna came back with a bang through many hits to his name in second innings , consistently won the  Loksabha seat from Gurdaspur and as MoS for foreign affairs used his films to bridge the gap with our super active neighbours . It was one of the lifestyles which only Vinod Khanna could lived and he lived it in style.

RIP Vinod Khanna !! The fans are gonna miss you .

- Jayawant