Another decade passed by. In 2004 one of the first digitally coloured films to release was Mughl-E-Azam and as editor Screen we celebrated the milestone at our annual awards. Vilasrao Deshmukh, then chief minister Maharashtra did the honours and now it was the thespian’s turn to speak. This was the beginning of his Alzheimer’s but not many were aware at that time, including us. Dilip Kumar started his speech but got lost mid-sentence. It was an awkward moment for all and I had no choice but to appear on stage and intervene. I collected the trophy from his hand and stood behind him. He sensed my presence, turned around and in his typical style quipped, “Kaun hain bhai” I requested to speak a few words and Kumar was for relieved to thrust the microphone in my hands!
As I write this piece, I think of our first meeting forty plus years ago. Can something so candid and precious ever occur in present times? I don’t think so, not in the times of all the security and the bouncers that follow our dream merchants. The older stars despite all their glory, yearned for a slice of life unlike the current crop, who battle their demons all alone in their ivory towers. Sab time time ki baatein hain…
Concluded