BAAVAN (52) SAAL PAHELE , USS RAAT KO MAI PAHELI BAAR PREM SAGAR KO MILAA THA. AUR AAJ HI INN ANDHERE DINO MEIN PREM MERAA SAB SE PYARAA DOST HAI ...

ZINDAGI BHAR MAI BHULUNGA NAHI WO BARSAAT KI RAAT...

It was a Thursday afternoon and l who was a jobless and hopeless young man was walking around the Natraaj Studio in the hope of seeing some big stars - Ali Peter John

It suddenly started raining very heavily and there was the kind of thunder and lightning l had never experienced before.

I took shelter under a roof made of grass and tin( patraa) . I was drenched and trembling in the wild wind , when some human being stretched out his to offer me help .

He led me to his office and after an hour he made me completely comfortable and saw to it that l was dropped home in my village...

That was the beginning of a friendship I can only sin to forget

The man's name was Prem Sagar and when I went to thank him the next day , he asked me , " what a friends for if they cannot help another friend in trouble .

Our frienship kept growing stronger and what a coincidence it was when l found my first official job with Screen , the number one film publication of India .

My editor and his daughter were very close friends of the Sagar family which was headed by the renowned writer and filmmaker Ramanand Sagar with his 5 sons, Subhash, Shanti, Prem, Moti and Aanand who were all involved in making films. They had a sister who got married and settled down in Delhi...

Prem went to the FTII and walked out as a brilliant cinematographer and joined his father during the making of films like "Arzoo" "Lalkaar" and he worked with his father till he met with a near fatal accident when the crane on which he was perched came crashing down and killed two of his assistants on the spot, but Prem somehow survived , but he was rushed to the Nanavati Hospital where he had to spend several months and even when he was discharged from hospital, he couldn't walk without the help of a very heavy walking stick. But Prem never lost hope and was armed with the determination to fight back.

He was treated by the best doctors , he tried every kind of treatment which included accupressure and accupuncture .

I was with him during most of his visits to hospitals and specialists and more than the doctors , it was his will power that helped him to keep getting better.

But whatever efforts were made to get him back on his feet couldnt get him back on the seat from where he ruled as the cinematographer .

His famous father had grown more famous after he made his debut as a tv serial maker with "Ramaayan" which gave new lives to all the Hindu gods and goddesses .

The epic serial was a super hit and was even very popular in the neighboring countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh and other countries which had a heavy population of Hindus.

Prem had a brilliant idea to spread the popularity Ramayan. He picked up his stick , gathered all his courage and took off for different countries to promote Ramayan .

And his idea worked in a big way when he could sale Ramayan to different countries, which included the then communist countries of Chinaa and Russia.

The grand success of Ramayan inspired the Sagars to make other serials based on Hindu epics and Prem Himself directed "Vikram Betaal" which also became a massive success.

Prem also took to directing his oen feature film , "Hum Tere Aashiq Hai" in which he got legends like Faredoon Irani who was a cinematographer of "Mother India", Sahir Ludhianavi, Kamleswar and Jitendra , Hema Malini, Amjaad Khan and Dr Shreeram Lagoo in lead roles . It is one chapter in Prem's life which he would love to forget.

Prem is a multi-talented personality and that is perhaps why his children are also so very talented.

His son Shiv Sagar is an expert in the hoteliering business and now runs an innovative kind of hotel in Lonlavla and hotel is named Tooth Mountain .

He is also involved in the making of a mega tv serial called "Jai Maata Vaishno Devi " , the highlight of which is the music and the songs which have been supervised by Prem who is also the dialogue and screenplay writer and the lyricist .

His elder daughter Sabnam is a renowned interior decorator who has designed the homes of celebrities, which include Kangana Ranawat .

His youngest daughter Ganga is one of the best known painters of today and Prems grandchildren are already showing sparks of brilliance even before they are in their teams .

And the one women who keeps Prem's family alert , agile and alive is his wife Neelam who has stood by him for more than 50 years.

Prem recently wrote the biography of hid father both in English and in Hindi and the books have been very well received.

Prem has always being the idle son of his father and has many more plans to keep his father's achievements and memories alive. And I hope he succeeds because if he doesn't, he will feel guilty all through this life and many other lives to come.

ACHCHA HUA SAGAR SAHAAB KO AISAA GUNI BETAA MILAA TAQDEER MEIN. NAHI TOH UNNKI KAHAANI KAA KYAA HOTAA ?

CHALE CHALO , MERE DOST PREM JI , TUM JO KAR RAHE HO APNE PITAAH KE LIYE , AAJKAAL KAUN BAAP KAA LAAL KARTAA HAI. RAM KARE TUMHAARI HAR KOSHIAH KAAMIYAAB HO, YEH EK DOST KI DUAA HAI.