I woke up to more sad news this morning: another Memsaab favorite, Rajesh Khanna, has passed away. It is not a surprise, really; anyone seeing his frail frame over the last months knew that he was very ill. But in typical Rajesh fashion, he kept the facts to himself and his loved ones and let the speculation run rampant. As a latecomer to the phenomenon that was Rajesh Khanna, with possibly a slightly more objective view of things (only possibly and slightly), I have always been struck by the frenzy—both negative and positive—around him. Even his appearance recently in an ad for Havells fans brought controversy, with many feeling that he had been mocked without being aware of it. I said it then, and I’ll say it now: I think people, even many of his fans, constantly underrated Kaka’s intelligence, sensitivity and sense of humor. I think he knew very well that the ad was playing on his lost superstardom, and I think he thought it was funny.
My heart hurts again today on hearing that another cinema great—in body and in spirit—has left us.
As I said over at Todd’s blog (he has written at least as much if not more about Dara than I have): it makes me hope there is a heaven, and that I’ve been a good enough person on earth to get up there and have a drink and a big Punjabi feast with him and Shammi. Edwina taught him how to do The Twist for Cha Cha Cha and said that he was a lot of fun to work with, which is not at all difficult to believe.
Rest in peace, Dara Sahab, and thank you for all the great fun you’ve left with us. This world is much emptier without you.
I don’t even know what to say today…thanks to all of you who have come here to share your tributes and sorrow with me. He will always have a special place in my heart and I am so blessed to have been able to experience his warmth and enthusiasm and love of life in person: it never diminished, and now it never will.
Rest in peace, you lovely, lovely man. I like to picture you reunited with your beloved Geeta, and I wish for everyone whom you loved so much—especially Neila Devi, Aditya and Kanchan—to find strength in that love now. A star that shines as brightly as you always have can never ever be dimmed.
This has been a week of real milestones in the Hindi movie world…
Pran celebrated his 88th birthday in style; Sanjay Dutt got married (also in style); Rajendranath passed away; and yesterday actress Manorama passed away also.
She was in a LOT of movies in her lifetime, the last being Deepa Mehta’s Water (she played Madhumati, the “head” of the widow’s ashram). Probably her best known role was as the wicked aunt in Seeta Aur Geeta.
An actor whose work I have enjoyed through many, many movies passed away yesterday at the age of 76—or as they say very beautifully in India: Rajendranath is no more.
I always thought he had the good looks to be a hero, but he was always cast in comic roles—which he did perfectly.
MemsaabStory 