It was the year 1980. Yakub Sayed, then assistant director at Mumbai Doordarshan, now called DD Sahyadri, received a phone call. It was to inform him that actress Nargis Dutt, who was in New York for medical treatment after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, had passed away. He informed his director, and a call was made to the I&B Ministry, which then connected with the Prime Minister’s office.

“We were informed that PM Indira Gandhi is on her way to Bombay and somebody should go to the airport to let her know the news. I was given this task. I went along with my cameraman. Just as she [PM Gandhi] began descending the airstair, I asked the cameraman to start shooting. When I informed Mrs Gandhi, she said that she was deeply saddened at the news. But it was a small reaction. To get more, I decided to pay a visit to Dev Anand’s office, which was in the vicinity. After I had broken the news to him, he offered us a long byte. To make it a whole package, I decided to pay a visit to Sunil Dutt’s home, hoping to get a reaction from the househelps and drivers. But once I reached there, I saw Sanjay Dutt having tea with his friends, laughing. I asked the cameraman to stay put and decided to ask him about his mother and he said, she is doing better,” Sayed tells mid-day between laughs. 

By the time he had reached DD’s Worli office, everyone had heard what had happened. “I behaved like I didn’t know. They told me I must pay Mrs Gandhi a visit and confess the blunder because she had already offered her condolences at a meeting that day. I refused, saying, I would rather resign than tell her that… she was known to have a temper. Someone else was given the task and I am sure a few people lost their jobs that day.”

A year later, when a call came saying Nargis Dutt had passed away, Sayed took a taxi and went to Breach Candy Hospital where she was admitted. It was only after he saw a crowd of mourners that he was convinced that the news was in fact, true. “But, it was a Sunday. So, everyone was on chhutti. I went to her brother Anwar Hussain asking if he had the reel of her last film, Raat Aur Din. He had the negatives. I got them developed, and that’s what we aired that evening,” recalls Sayed, now 88. “The viewers, I heard, loved that telecast.”

Mumbai Doordarshan completed 50 years last Sunday. Sayed, who was present at the ceremony held at its Worli studio, served the public service broadcaster from 1972 to his retirement in 1992, when he left as director of Doordarshan Kolkata, or DD Bangla.

We met him on a weekday afternoon in Bhiwandi where he put up for the day in an ancestral home that belongs to his daughter and son-in-law. “I moved here from Kurla because my daughter thinks I am too old to live by myself,” he says.

Over the next hour, Sayed takes us on a journey through the initial years of Mumbai Doordarshan, sharing anecdotes that shaped his life. This, however, wasn’t his first job. After a Master’s in Arts degree from Pune University, Sayed bagged a job at All India Radio. “It was after working there for a decade that I was told I have been selected for television and would have to undergo a six-month training at FTII [Film and Television Institute of India],” he says, of the broadcaster when it had just about 100 employees.  

“Since Bombay was catering to the Marathi-speaking population, about 80 per cent of our content was in Marathi. The most popular among this were the Marathi plays. On Saturday, we would show a 2.5 hour-long play which enjoyed better viewership than films; Maharashtrians love their theatre.”

Sayed directed and produced 180 plays himself, including the popular Dinucha Sasubai and Radhabai, Shyamchi Aai, Sharda, Naukri and Piano. “In fact, during the broadcast of Piano—a love story where a female piano player plans to elope with her lover after a performance but cannot—I got a call from Raj Kapoor asking about the actress. He asked me to send her to his office and she was offered the role of heroine in his film; she however, refused saying she was to get married. The film was Prem Rog; the role eventually went to Padmini Kolhapure.”

Another play that Sayed worked on, Beimaan, the story of two friends, was also turned into a film. “Hrishikesh Mukherjee made it into Namak Haraam in 1973 starring Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan.”

Besides theatre, Sayed says shows that enjoyed large audience include a children’s shows called Khilbil; a light entertainment programme Garba that focussed on small skits; Aamchi Maati Aamchi Manasa which tackled challenges faced by farmers; a show revolving around home called Sundar Maze Ghar; a comedy called Has Parihas and a chat show featuring the legendary Tabassum, Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan.

“Tabassum’s Phool Khile Gulshan Gulshan [which aired until 1993] was then what Koffee With Karan is today. She interviewed top actors and musicians show from Prem Nath to Amitabh Bachchan, RD Burman, Shatrughan Sinha and Ashok Kumar, some even multiple times… only Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar refused saying they aren’t comfortable being interviewed by someone who was younger to them,” Sayed recalls.

For one of the shows, he turned actor, bringing him public fame. “In one of the meetings, we discussed the need for a comedy programme. The arrow pointed at me. I thought everybody who picks up newspapers does read a joke, why not enact them on television? The show was called Has Parihas. It began in 1973 and became very famous… Mahmood, Jeetendra, Daboo [Randhir Kapoor], everybody came on the show. Lata [Mangeshkar] would also request for jokes… It gave me a lot of fame,” he says, adding, “You know who was my biggest fan? Morarji Desai. He once asked me to meet him, saying he always calls for my tapes and watches them. He even asked why the show was shut down.” After airing for three years, the show stopped after his co-actor on the show Baban Prabhu passed away.

Interestingly, television was still in a nascent stage and those who had TV set at home struggled with its operation. “Once I got a call from a minister, asking me to come over to his residence. Because he was an important man, I dropped everything and went across. He told me his TV was not working. I was no engineer. I asked his staffer to go to the roof and continue to gently move the antenna till I asked him to stop. When it was adjusted enough to sit parallel to the TV, the set came on.” In return as a goodwill gesture, the politico agreed to come on Kilbil as guest.  

But Sayed’s favourite story is from the inaugural day of Mumbai Doordarshan—October 2, 1972. “At around 6 pm, we realised that the hustle-bustle that should have marked the arrival of the chief minister was missing. On calling his secretary, we were told that his diary had a wrong date entry. The event that should have started at 6.30 pm was delayed; this irked Bismillah Khan [shehnai maestro], who had to miss his evening namaz. Then a cup broke in the green room and hurt Asha Parekh’s foot and she started to bleed. I went downstairs to find a doctor. To top it all, we ran the programme live but forgot to record it. DD Mumbai does not have a recording of its debut broadcast.”

Yakub Sayed with actress and television host Tabassum whose chat show Phool Khile Gulshan Gulshan was very popular and saw the presence of every prominent actor and musician

Yakub Sayed with popular Marathi actress Neena Kulkarni, who began her career in the 1970s with theatre

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Yakub Sayed and his co-actor on the show Has Parihas, Baban Prabhu with Amjad Khan

Kanhaiyalal played a shrewd money-lender in Nargis’s Mother India

Pick any film in the ’60s featuring a conniving money-lender, and chances are that the role was played by Kanhaiyalal. The late actor, who featured in over 100 films between the ’50s and late ’70s, is best remembered as Sukkhi Lala, the shrewd villain in Nargis-led Mother India (1957). Decades later, as Bollywood has moved on from the archetypal munimji and all-black villains, the veteran actor’s daughter Hemaa Singh (righ) is making a documentary to honour his contribution to Hindi cinema.

“The reason behind making the documentary is to highlight the [role] of veteran actors during that era, be it Motilal ji, Ishwarlal ji or my father. The [feature] will showcase all that is not known to the public — right from his childhood days in Varanasi, his migration to Mumbai, his struggles, personal life and work,” says Singh, who is hoping to release the yet-untitled project in the coming months. 

In his three-decade career, Kanhaiyalal served as the perfect antithesis to the well-meaning heroes, sharing screen space with Dilip Kumar in Gunga Jumna (1961), Rajesh Khanna in Apna Desh (1972) and Dharmendra in Dost (1974). Singh is touched that many celebrities have supported her endeavour. “Amitabh Bachchan ji, Dharmendra ji, Asha Parekh ji, Jackie Shroff ji and Govinda ji have paid their shraddhanjali [tribute] to my father in the documentary. When I approached them, they enthusiastically agreed to do it. Johny Lever went out of his way and reached out to other [stars] on my behalf. Sunil Dutt ji and Dilip Kumar ji were close to my bauji; unfortunately, Dutt ji is no longer with us.”

While he paved the way for Bollywood villains, Singh says her father was a real-life hero. “He offered financial aid to so many people, never turning anyone away,” she recounts, lamenting that he didn’t get his due. “He never got the Dadasaheb Phalke award for his remarkable contribution. He was an effortless actor who never rehearsed his dialogues.”

Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 16, 2020)

Dealing with Coronavirus pandemic hasn’t been easy for anyone. But life will always throw challenges at us, and how we get over them defines us, believes Waheeda Rehman. The veteran actor says this crisis requires us “to be careful, sensible and intelligent”.

“I feel it’s important to be patient. If you get paranoid, it’ll stress you out and you might make mistakes,” says the Padma Bhushan awardee. Holed up with her daughter and her family, Rehman admits it isn’t easy. “It’s like a catch-22 situation. Whether we’re at home or have to go outside, we need to find a way. I see many flouting safety norms, not wearing masks since the lockdown has been eased. That’s wrong,” she says.

With no intention to seem philosophical, the actor, 82, says that we know nothing about our future, adding, “Par darr darr ke nahi jee sakte. We must face difficulties head on.”

Rehman is spending her time watching films, doing yoga, taking a walk in the garden, and enjoying photography. Not a fan of mobile phones, she, however, has realised it is a necessity. “I talk to my sister, nephews and nieces a lot these days. Asha (Parekh; actor) aur Helen (actor) se bhi baat hoti rehti hai,” she says. Her family is ensuring that they take care of their staff. “If we have food to eat, then people who work for us should also have food,” she adds.

Concerned about people facing mental health issues, she says, “Chinta karne se kuch fayda nahi. Bas Allah ka shukar karo, dil aur niyat saaf rakho aur aagey badho.”

Shreya Mukherjee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 28, 2020)

At 77 and amid the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, Asha Parekh is taking it one day at a time. But she loses her cool when she sees people aren’t ready to “face the reality” and are putting lives in danger.

“Ye beemari bahut taqleef deti hai; aap saans nahi le paayenge. Aur jo log soch rahe hain unko nahi hoga, I want to ask them, ‘Has God given you immortality?’ Emergency care providers are working hard. Please think about them. What angers me is the way educated people are behaving,” she rues.

Parekh stresses that “it isn’t right to complain when you’re in a better position”. She’s doing her bit by not stepping out of her house, and gives due credit to her driver and security personnel for getting her essentials.

“I know it’s claustrophobic at times, more so when seven or eight people share a room in a place like Mumbai. Par yeh socho ki aap phir bhi surakshit hain. Agar main ab rone baith jaun ki kab tak ghar mein rahungi to kya hoga? Isse achha hai main khush rahun, positive rahun,” she says, adding, “There’s not much pollution, and it feels so nice. The world is changing, so are we all…”

Parekh starts her day with yoga, reads books, watches TV, and talks to her family members and friends over video calls regularly.

“My brother (Jayesh Parekh) calls me every day at 5.30 pm... My best friend (Vandana Shah) stays in Birmingham, and she was telling me how depressed she feels at times. The other day Shabana (Azmi, actor) called and said, ‘Tu akeli hai, kuch chahiye to bataana’. Waheeda (Rehman, actor) aur uski beti bhi call karte rehte hain,” she shares.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 30, 2019)

When it comes to travelling, the everadored heroines Waheeda Rehman and Asha Parekh could give the new gen a run for their flying miles. The two inveterate travellers and foodies are about to take off to Tadoba Tiger Reserve, located close to Nagpur, next week for a six-day vacation. That will be followed by a fortnight-long trip to New Zealand in November.

In earlier years the two had holidayed with their bestie Helen, in Turkey and had gone on a Scandinavian ocean cruise. Waheeda and Asha had also flown to Canada and Alaska in the past. “I am alone and Waheeda has two children, but both of us, along with Helen, make sure to stay in touch. The three of us go out for meals and on holidays often,” says Asha Parekh, who recently united with Waheeda Rehman for a children’s reality show at a Mumbai studio. The trio has previously featured on The Kapil Sharma Show as well.

When asked about the secret of their friendship for decades, Asha responded, “Perhaps today’s generation is too competitive. We were not; we had our individual images and space. But if you ask me, I feel good when I hear friendships in Bollywood are not impossible. Sonam (Kapoor) and Jacqueline (Fernandez) do bond. I hope this tradition of camaraderie continues forever.”

Waheeda was last seen in Kamal Haasan’s 2018 film Vishwaroopam II, while Asha called it quits after producing several TV series which she also directed. Occasionally Waheeda, Helen and she can be seen at events and TV specials, bonding, confirming that friendships in show business can last a lifetime.

J Om Prakash with Hema Malini and Dharmendra on the Aas Paas set

J Om Prakash will be cherished for his super hits backed with star power, chartbusters, verdant locations and breezy storytelling
Khalid Mohamed (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 8, 2019)

Synonymous with a rapid fire series of silver jubilee hits – the buzz-phrase now replaced by the Rs 100 crore club – the monarch of breezy entertainers would sport speckless white outfits and converse in a voice which rarely rose to high octaves.

Through the 1960s spilling over to the next three decades, J Om Prakash would attend his Filmyug production office at Santa Cruz religiously. With advanced age, he handed over the reins to his son-in-law Rakesh Roshan, and basked at his Juhu bungalow in the adulation amassed by his grandson Hrithik Roshan.

As a knee-high child, Hrithik had made flash appearances in a few of his grandfather’s films, drawing rave reviews for his act in Bhagwan Dada (1986).

Affectionately called Om ji, he once spoke to a whiskerless wannabe reporter seeking an elaborate interview for Filmfare. Fixing an appointment for a five-star buffet, he ordered a couple of Camparis, an offer which I tetchily refused.

Try it, it’s like sweet medicine, he had insisted, a way perhaps to ensure that I wouldn’t quote any of his off-the-record statements. The afternoon lenghtened, the drinks swirled on, resulting in, let’s say, an interview brimming over with heartspeak.

Born in Sialkot, Punjab (now in Pakistan) he had none of the rancour of someone who had to start from scratch in Bombay. Shyly proud of his success, he believed that an emotionally stirring story could fit snugly into the commercial groove. “That’s why I produced Aandhi (1975) directed by Gulzar,” he had smiled. “When there was a brief ban over the parallels to the life of Mrs Indira Gandhi, I stayed calm. I would love to produce another film with Gulzar and Suchitra Sen. Although Suchitra has become reclusive, she will never say ‘no’ to me.”

As a producer, he had become a major Bollywood player with the black-and-white Aas Ka Panchhi (1961), directed by Mohan Kumar. Narrating a story about a patriot who wants to join the army, it boosted the careers of Rajendra Kumar and Vyjayanthimala. His innings as a director was initiated with the Rajesh Khanna-Mumtaz-Sanjeev Kumar dramedy Aap Ki Kasam (1974), which touched upon the subject of adultery.

He would use the B-Town formula with a certain playfulness, frequently touching upon the divide between the ultra-rich and the rising middle class. Exploring verdant hill town locations and extracting chartbusters, were his forte.

Coining ‘lucky’ titles beginning with ‘Aa’ or ‘A’, Om ji’s signature began to be identified with the A-list heroes Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra. His high glam heroines, kitted in glitzy bespsoke outfits, ranged from Asha Parekh, Saira Banu and Raakhee Gulzar to Rekha, Reena Roy and Sridevi. However, at a point, when Bollywood’s dependence on stars had swelled, the filmmaker was disenchanted, particularly during the protracted making of Aas Paas (1981), with Dharmendra and Hema Malini.

Rakhee Gulzar recalls, “At the early stage of my career, I did one film with Om ji – Aankhon Aankhon Mein (1972). For that, horse-riding and a Bollywood-type dance were required. He made me comfortable. Years later, on my wedding day, he looked after all the minute arrangements like a guardian would. Then he produced Aandhi. We became close family friends. At my suggestion, he bought a farmhouse neighbouring mine in Panvel. Few know that he was extremely knowledgeable and an avid reader of non-fiction.”

Asha Parekh who starred in the musical triptych Aaye Din Bahaar Ke (1966), Aya Saawan Jhoomke (1969) and Aan Milo Sajna (1970), remembers Om ji rushing her to a hospital when she fractured her foot. “For a scene in Aan Milo Sajna, I had to wear tight shoes with Rajesh Khanna carrying me in his arms. The scene was shot with slippers on – a continuity jump, but Om ji didn’t care. No one noticed it in the final edit either.”

Towards his end years, the movie mogul was bed-ridden and couldn’t visit his Panvel farmhouse where he had built a Shiv Mandir. The 93-year-old leaves behind an oeuvre of over 25 films. And he leaves me with that interview topped by Camparis which I have never tried again – wouldn’t be the same without Om ji.

Dinesh Raheja (MID-DAY; March 11, 2018)

Most people remember Nargis Rabadi, better known as Shammi, who passed away on March 5, as a talented comedienne whose open face and maternal mannerisms instantly endeared her to the audience.

But few would recall her as a romantic lead — Dilip Kumar serenaded the then-elfin Shammi with the Talat Mahmood number Yeh Hawa Yeh Raat Yeh Chaandni in Sangdil (1952) and she traipsed nimbly through the popular song Bade Armanon Se Rakha Hai Balam in Malhar (1951). Shammi’s career straddled six decades and her cache of cameos is impressive: She was rich girl Nanda’s chirpy chaperone in Jab Jab Phool Khile, the nosy neighbour in Ittefaq and Saira Banu’s westernised mother in Purab Aur Paschim.

She was also recognised as an actor of mettle for her award-winning performance in Samaj Ko Badal Dalo. But there was more to Shammi than what was seen on screen. Two of her closest friends, actors Asha Parekh and Waheeda Rehman, give us an intimate glimpse into her life.

She was gutsy and independent: Asha Parekh

I was close friends with Shammi ji for more than 50 years; she was like family to me. We struck an instant friendship from the time we first met... on a plane! In 1961, I was flying to Chennai to shoot for Gharana, and Shammi ji was headed to the same city to dub for a film. My leading man Rajendra Kumar knew Shammi very well, and he introduced us on the flight. She was a happy-go-lucky person, always ready to share a good laugh; and we hit it off.

Our friendship endured through the decades and, later in life, we also became business partners and made a couple of TV serials together. She was my fellow traveller — together we have extensively toured the US, England, Singapore etc.

As an actor, I worked with her only sporadically — in Manoj Kumar’s Upkar (1967) and Mohan Segal’s Saajan (1970). We also shared screen space in the Gujarati film, Akhand Saubhagyavati (1963). But since we had a common friend in Nargis Dutt, we would meet often in the early days of our friendship too. Shammi ji was friends with many actresses; she was also very close to Jaya ji. During Amitabh Bachchan’s stay at Breach Candy hospital, Shammi ji practically lived with 9 ayaji at the hospital.

After her marriage to Sultan Ahmed, Shammi requested me to play the leading lady in her husband’s first venture as a director, Heera (1973). I agreed and the film, co-starring Sunil Dutt, went on to become a hit. When she divorced Ahmed, she left his home in a single sari. She lived by herself in her mother’s house in Bandra. Her friends stood by her side but she was a gutsy and independent woman who could take challenges in her stride. If I were to describe her in one word, it would be ‘noble.’ Her life was like an open book, and I too confided in her a lot. She was an emotional support and also great fun to be with. Not too long back, I recall Shammi ji and I went to see a film with some friends on Independence Day. Unfortunately, it was a bad film and since we were in a crazy mood that day, we ended up giggling continuously at what was unfolding onscreen.

At first, we were a group of six friends who met regularly — Waheeda Rehman, Sadhana, Nanda, Helen, Shammi ji and I. Today, Sadhana, Nanda and Shammi ji are no more; and now we are only three. I guess this is life.
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She was a voracious reader: Waheeda Rehman

Shammi ji was known as a comedienne, and she was drawn to comic roles in films and TV serials like Dekh Bhai Dekh, because her real-life personality was so funny... She was full of life. I knew Shammi ji well for 55 years.

I can’t recall our first meeting after all these years; but what I do remember is that she was very friendly with Johnny Walker, and those days I would shoot a lot with Johnny for Guru Dutt’s films and for other films too. Later, when I was shooting in Rajasthan for Reshma Aur Shera (1971), my leading man, Sunil Dutt’s wife Nargis had come to visit the sets... Shammi ji had accompanied her as she was very friendly to Nargis ji.

Shammi ji got along with most people, and was always there for everyone on sad and happy occasions. She was very close to Asha (Parekh) too, and was like a mother to Asha after the latter’s mother passed away. Over the years, Shammi ji became a regular visitor to my house too. We shared a common love for books; we’re both voracious readers. And she loved my children. Not that I ever had reason to contact her in an emergency, but I knew that I could call her at midnight if I were in distress and she would rush to my aid.

I didn’t know Shammi ji so well as a fellow actor because we rarely worked together. She was signed for Aadmi, in which I acted alongside Dilip Kumar and Manoj Kumar, but for reasons best known to her, she dropped out after doing two days’ work. When I was in Iran, shooting for an Indo-Irani production, Subha-o-Sham (1972), she sent me a telegram stating that she had married Sultan Ahmed. When I came back, I threw a party for her.

My last two meetings with Shammi ji were at her residence and at a Juhu hospital; and both were not in very happy circumstances. When my daughter Kaashvi and I dropped in at her home recently, her eyes were not open and she was murmuring something inaudible. I tried to catch her attention and said, ‘Shammi, I am Waheeda.’ My daughter added, ‘Aunty, I am Kashvi.’ I don’t know whether she was able to place us but she suddenly uttered, ‘Khaana khake jaana, khaana khake jaana.’ Imagine, even in that state she was concerned about others! Believe it or not, whatever her financial situation may have been, she never came empty-handed to my house. She would either bring a book or some sweets.

I wanted her to accompany me to Bhutan for my son Sohail’s marriage. I told her, ‘Aapke favourite bachche ki shaadi ho rahee hai’ but she couldn’t comprehend that I was trying to invite her. I realised with a heavy heart that it was futile to insist with her. She was a lively and noble soul. I am so happy, unki kadar ho rahee hai.

Dinesh Raheja is an author and film historian

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 9, 2018)

Shammi Aunty with her gang of girls: Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman and Helen

She passed away late on Monday night. Here’s saluting Shammi Aunty, the feisty actress and one-woman support system of several eminent heroines
Khalid Mohamed (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 7, 2018)

"Ever since childhood, I have been regarded as a jester,” she had chuckled in a conversation with Filmfare magazine, August 1957. “Before films, I worked as a secretary in a commercial firm. While dictating a letter, one of the young bosses proposed to me. I brought back the proposal neatly typed for him to sign. I was sacked.”

Shammi Aunty to an ever-loyal band of yesteryear heroines, she was an antidote to the Bollywood blues. Ever the confidante, a shoulder to cry on, she saw her besties through emergency crises. Ironically, her own private life hit the rocks when her marriage, after seven years to producer-director Sultan Ahmed, culminated in a divorce circa 1980.

The infallibly jocular Shammi — born Nargis Rabadi — didn’t ever carp about Ahmed. She had promoted him by inveigling top stars to assent to his projects, notably Heera (1973) with Sunil Dutt-Asha Parekh and Ganga ki Saugand with Amitabh Bachchan-Rekha (1978).

She glided back on the singleton’s beat. Ahmed remarried twice over. Meanwhile, apri Shammi Aunty, who had suffered two miscarriages, adopted Iqbal, the son of Ahmed’s brother. Eventually, she settled in with Iqbal, his wife and two granddaughters in two separate apartments in Millat Nagar, Oshiwara.

Customarily dressed in patterned crepe saris, she would hop into an autorickshaw — if her car’s driver was off-duty — hurrying to a friend’s home to work out a quick fix solution for the bugbear du jour.

Friendship meant never being off-duty. Clearly, her Good Samaritan disposition points to her growing-up years when she was compelled to see the brighter side of the moon. Her father, an agiary priest, passed away when she was barely three. To rear Nargis and her elder sister, Mani, who went on to become a leading costume designer in the 1960s-’70s, their mother would cook at Parsi religious functions.

The Rabadis subsisted in a Tardeo tenement till a family friend introduced the sprightly Nargis to actor-filmmaker Sheikh Mukhtar, monickered ‘The Leatherface’ because of his spotty complexion. Uninhibited and surprisingly fluent in Hindustani dialogue, her auditions were approved. The teenage girl was cast in Ustad Pedro (1949), featuring Mukhtar and Begum Para. Nargis was given the screen name of Shammi.


Was a star born? Yes and no. Averse to swerving the spotlight on herself, Shammi teamed up with playback singer-actor, Mukesh, in his home production Malhar (1951). It didn’t click. Her back-up act to Dilip Kumar-Madhubala in Sangdil (1952), a take on Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, whizzed by unnoticed. Supporting roles became her survival kit, best exemplified by Musafirkhana (1955), in which she infused comic chemistry with Johnny Walker.

A kooky comedienne, a vicious vamp, a nanny or a naani, Shammi was cool with roles of any stripe. “I want to be part of the film industry, I wish to keep working,” she would insist to her last day. Felled by a neurological twitch in her hands and ailments accompanying advanced age, the prime cheerleader of Bollywood was last seen five years ago in Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi. After that, lights off.

Of her estimable collection of over 200 films and an armful of TV serials, pre-millennials will surely recall her endearing acts in Dekh Bhai Dekh, Zabaan Sambhal Ke, Shriman Shrimati, Kabhi Yeh Kabhi Woh. Of her movies, she would pick Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai (1960), Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965) and Purab aur Pachhim (1970) as her career best. A workaholic to the last drop, she would serve as co-producer on TV serials.

The only time I’ve seen Shammi Aunty at the end of a tether was at the first-day-first-show screening of Pighalta Aasman (1985) at the Naaz cinema, which she had produced. Rajesh Khanna had dropped out after irreconcilable differences with director Esmayeel Shroff. Shashi Kapoor had stepped in without charging a rupee. Shammi Aunty had said in a quivering voice, “Not a mouse has turned up. It was doomed to flop, anyway.” She’d also laughed wistfully, “Don’t go out of your way to give it a good review. I won’t read it if you do.” Her besties — Nargis Dutt, Jaya Bachchan, Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman, Saira Banu, Helen and Daisy Irani — were her mere apne. An inconsolable Asha Parekh says, “I have lost my mother again. Shammi Aunty loved travelling, reading bestsellers, books on philosophy, Indian and western classical music. Most of all, she loved to be in touch, dropping by for a cup of tea at least twice a week. Our lives won’t be the same again.”

One of her unalloyed joys was to fetch up at the Juhu house of fashion designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla to watch movies on DVD from their vast collection.

Another compulsion was to take off on group trips, the last one being to a vineyard in Nashik. On returning, she had forgotten a bottle of wine in the car. When it was sent over, she had sent it back, stating, “I left it behind purposely. I’ve lost my taste buds.”

Towards her end-days, she was in a semi-conscious state, in and out of an ICU. She was diagnosed with intestinal ailments and dementia. There were no parting words from Shammi Aunty. At the 88, she didn’t need a ventilator for her last breath.

Rachit Gupta and Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 7, 2018)

Shammiji, as she was popularly referred to by her colleagues in the film industry, passed away in Mumbai on March 6, 2018. The veteran actress was 89 and had a career spanning more than 60 years in Bollywood and television. Shammi was most recognised for her role in the TV show Dekh Bhai Dekh, while she also appeared in other serials like Zabaan Sambhalke, Shriman Shrimati, Kabhi Yeh Kabhi Woh and Filmi Chakkar.

Shammi’s career began in 1949 and over the years she featured in prominent films like Sangdil (1952), Bandish (1955), Azaad (1955), Raj Tilak (1958), Ghar Sansar (1958), Kangan (1959), Bhai-Bahen (1959), Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai (1960), Half Ticket (1962), Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), Upkar (1967), Ittefaq (1969) and many more. She worked in more than 200 films in her long career.

Her colleague and close friend, actress Asha Parekh expressed grief at losing Shammi. She said, “Shammi was unwell for two months; some of it was age-related. I’m really shattered today because she was my best friend. We had known each other for 50 long years. Apart from working together in so many films, we had shared so much with each other through these years. I was there during the cremation... I saw a big part of my life and memories fade away today.”

Amitabh Bachchan also took to social media to express his condolences. He posted, “Shammi aunty, prolific actress, years of contribution to the industry, dear family friend... passes away! A long suffered illness, age... Sad... slowly they’ll all go away...”

Shammi aunty, as she was fondly called by younger colleagues and fans, left behind a lasting legacy.

Bharati K Dubey (DNA; November 20, 2017)

The sudden and erratic decision of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to implement ‘submit your films 68-days in advance if you want a censor certificate on time’ has caught a lot of producers unawares. Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the studio behind Padmavati, has voluntarily deferred the release date of the film from December 1. The rule may also affect the release of big projects like Tiger Zinda Hai. Bollywood and Hollywood studios are completely unsure of the fate of their films. All of them are wondering what has prompted this sudden implementation of this new ‘procedure’ that was not practiced in the immediate past.

A senior official from a film studio said, “Nobody is denying that there was always a rule to say that films need to be submitted for certification 68-days in advance. However, there has always been a difference between rule and convention. As far as the industry was concerned, the convention was that normally films go in for certification just about 22 days before the release date.”

Helping the producers
Another insider points out that everybody was practical enough to realise that films are released under tremendous pressure and you can’t run the censorship process independent of the release of the film. So, even the CBFC officials tried to bend the rules a bit to help producers. Of course, there are those who think that the new change is a tactic to delay the release of Padmavati.

Disgruntled filmmakers are asking questions to the CBFC to show them a list of films that have actually been cleared by them keeping the 68-days procedure. Not to forget, there have been cases when films have been cleared in one day or cleared out of turn so that the release of the film is not delayed. An example is Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan’s MSG: The Messenger of God that was cleared within a day, leading to the resignation of the then chairperson, Leela Samson.

Following procedure?
It is being suggested that as per the Cinematograph Act — the Chairman may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, relax the time-limits prescribed by this rule for the performance of any act — if he is satisfied that it is necessary to do so to avoid any undue hardship. Also, if one looks at rule 41 of the Act, the entire procedure if followed, is definitely less than 68 days. But Prasoon Joshi is reportedly following procedure.

New date to be announced soon
A spokesperson from Viacom18, says, “We are a responsible, law-abiding corporate citizen and have the highest respect and regard for the law of the land and all our institutions and statutory bodies including the Central Board of Film Certification. We always have and are committed to continue following the established procedure and convention. We have faith that we will soon obtain the requisite clearances to release the film. We will announce the revised release date of the film in due course.”

What former CBFC chairpersons say...

Pahlaj Nihalani
It is an old law and after the online certificate has come into place, applications are filed round-the-clock, hence, the board is overloaded with work, with the dubbed version of South and Hindi films for certification to be played on satellite channels. Since it is online, there is no way they can jump the queue as there will be trouble during the audit, citing corruption and favouritism towards the producers, so, nobody is going to take the risk of clearing films out of turn. When I was the chief, I used to schedule the application with fair knowledge of the film industry. I would know which film has a better chance of release; I used to schedule accordingly and accommodate people. As for Prasoon Joshi, he is a writer so he does not really know producers whom I knew, but he also cannot do anything with the new system. I also know that the post-production work on Padmavati is still going on and they will have to submit the final print of the film for certification.

Asha Parekh
Producers come to the CBFC at the last minute with their films, so the implementation of this rule is good in a way, but also a bit dicey at the same time. Producers will have to wait for two months to get the certificate. I wonder how they’re going to do it. Especially with bookings of theatre, this is going to be difficult. I don’t see this to be workable; let’s see how the producers react.

Leela Samson
Even before Messenger of God, there was an assurance that the CBFC would certify films within four weeks from the time of application. During a dull spell, a film could be cleared in a week also and during peak festival seasons, we had to have multiple camps to clear a large number of films. Even so, to jump the queue, we got producers who submitted late and wanted a certification immediately, to procure in writing an okay from all those producers whose films were waiting in line before him for certification. However, a collusion between agents of the producers and junior officers at the CBFC was often remarked upon and films were cleared at a short notice.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 5, 2017)

On October 2, Asha Parekh turned 75, and Manoj Kumar, who worked with her in four films — Apna Bana Ke Dekho (1962), Do Badan (1966), Upkar 1967) and Saajan (1969) — informs that back in ’57–’58, they were part of a group called ‘Stars of Tomorrow’, being promoted by the then Filmfare editor L P Rao, J C Jain, general manager of the Times of India, and Gulshan Ewing, editor of Femina. They would meet at functions and photo sessions.

Asha got the hit she was looking for with Nasir Hussain’s ’59 romcom, Dil Deke Dekho. She consolidated her position with Ghunghat, Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Gharana and Chaya, while Manoj Kumar continued to struggle for his big break till producer Jagdish Nirula, who considered Asha his sister, came to him with Apna Bana Ke Dekho. “I got the film on her recommendation and remain obliged to her,” admits Manoj, who five years later, went to her with the role of Dr Kavita in Upkar, his first official directorial, which was inspired by Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s, ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’.

“I went to her residence with my wife, Shashi. She was packing for Kashmir, for the shoot of Jawan Mohabbat, and immediately gave her consent even though it wasn’t her usual singing– dancing kind of role. I’m not sure if she enjoyed doing the film. She certainly didn’t understand my need to drive 25–30 km to catch a sunrise. I never saw the shadow of a frown between her brows but I’ve never heard her speak about Upkar. She didn’t attend the premiere despite repeated requests. Maybe, as she said, she was busy. Once she made a commitment, Asha never went back on it,” he muses.

He recalls, when they were filming in Delhi, Marlon Brando had come to India and was staying at a five-star hotel close by. He called Brandon and they had a long chat during which Manoj Kumar invited the legendary Hollywood actor to his shoot. Brando had a meeting with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi the next day and did not know when he’d be called for it. But he promised Manoj that he’d drop by the day after.

“I requested Asha that instead of shooting the following day as planned we continue the day after, in the presence of our special guest. She refused, saying she had already committed to a dance performance on that day and flew off to Mumbai. We missed Brando but I appreciate that she doesn’t go back on a commitment, for anyone,” he says.

There are no hard feelings, only warmth, the Dadasaheb Phalke awardee insists, as working with a professional like Asha was always a pleasure. “She was the only one who called to wish me on the night of my wedding in Delhi and invited Shashi and me for lunch back in Mumbai. My wife and she continue to be friends and she’s like family,” the actor– filmmaker says, recalling their vigil at Nanavati Hospital years ago. “My father was unwell and her mother was ailing. She’d walk the corridors anxiously through the night. Her parents were always very warm and we met for lunch three to four times. During Upkar, I remember she was raising money for the Asha Parekh Hospital,” Manoj says.

The Asha Parekh Hospital bid ‘Sayonara’ on September 30. But buzz is, Asha has plans to start it again. Till then, it’s cheers from Mr Bharat on a platinum jubilee to a woman who heralded spring with him in the song “Aayi Jhoom Ke Basant” in his iconic patriotic drama, Upkar.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; September 22, 2017)

Hindi cinema actor from the '50s, Shakila passed away on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack. She was 82. Shakila had featured in hit films Hatim Tai (1956), Aar Paar (1954), CID (1956) and China Town (1962). Her nephew, actor Nasir Khan, told mid-day, "She wasn't keeping well and had been in and out of the hospital. She was diagnosed with a kidney ailment recently and was on dialysis, which led to further complications."

Khan is the son of late comedian Johnny Walker, who married Shakila's sister, Noor. "My father was fond of her (Shakila). She was a social person, full of life. She was always surrounded by people," he remembered.

Shakila is best remembered for the song Babuji Dheere Chalna. The late actor's close friend and veteran actor Asha Parekh said, "She was always there for others. She was by my side when my father passed away. Waheeda [Rehman], Nanda and Shakila were a gang. She was a soft-spoken and kind person, hardly ever raised her voice. Saira [Banu] was trying to get her admitted to a hospital and was with her yesterday."

Born Badshah Begum on January 1, 1935, Shakila had two younger sisters, Noor and Nasreen, who were also actors. She was introduced to the movies by filmmaker Abdul Rashid Kardar, who offered her a role in Dastaan (1950). She shot to fame with Guru Dutt's Aar Paar, in which she played the other woman in Dutt's life. Shakila starred in CID, a role overshadowed by Waheeda Rehman. She quit cinema after acting in close to 50 films.