Meghna Gulzar: when Gulzar and Meghna Gulzar became my lawyer

If I wanted, I could be known as the controversy and gossip king. I claim that I know more about the world of Hindi films than the stories and people who are considered masters of gossip stories. But, I don't think my life would have been what it is today if I had done what others did just for a few bucks. Will I be able to talk openly about the secrets of the lives of stars, superstars, and legends? Which I have had off for the last 50 years and I don't think I ever will. I have my share of unplanned and unknown stories and these are one or two such stories. This is a story that I can share with you without harming or hurting anyone.

Meghna Gulzar opens up about her past

Rakhi Gulzar had separated from her husband and was living in her bungalow, "Muktangan" with her daughter 'Boski' i.e. Meghna.

I got the opportunity to talk to Rakhi one afternoon and like most famous names, she opened up to me and told me some interesting things about her past.

She told me how she had started her life as a junior assistant with the great actress Sandhya Roy and how she used to carry her bag and makeup basket. She also talked to me about her first marriage to director Ajoy Biswas and how it ended with her moving back to Mumbai and Ajoy moving back to pursue his career.

Ali's Notes column

I could have written her entire story as she told me, but I only chose the human aspects which were her struggle to make it. And I wrote her story in my column Ali's Notes, the consequences of which I had to face.

Received a legal notice

This was the second day after the publication of my article in "Screen" and her lawyer Mr. Deshmukh had sent me a notice. However, I was not used to receiving such notices and frankly, I was nervous. In that notice, I was claimed that I had fabricated the story and I was in a trap with my management they had asked me to apologize to Rakhi but my conscience told me that I had done nothing. I have not done anything wrong and I had only written what Rakhi had told me.

The story of the notice given to me by Rakhi gradually spread everywhere and my editor, who was a dear friend of Rakhi, and my colleagues kept looking at me as if I had committed a major crime.

My failed attempt

My sleepless nights and day's peace were all gone and I was trying to find a way to regain my reputation, which I had achieved with so much hard work and honesty over the years, but I could not find any way. Those were the days when I stood outside "Muktangan" to catch a glimpse of Rakhi and tried to explain my situation to her, but this plan also failed.

 Gulzar Sahab became my lawyer

I knew about the relationship between Gulzar and Rakhi, but I also knew that they would sometimes meet each other for dinner. I reached Gulzar's office in Boston and told him everything about the unfortunate accident that happened to Rakhi and me. Gulzar heard me. He was then drinking his favorite green tea and after a while, Gulzar looked at me and said, “I would never have done anything like this for anyone, but you are dear to me and I love you.” I will do it for you. Tonight I am going to have dinner with Meghna and Rakhi and I will put your case before them and the rest depends on your luck and God.”

I got some relief after talking to him, but I was still stressed. The next morning, Gulzar called me to Boston and while sipping a glass of his green tea with me, he told me, “Your case has been dismissed, now you don't have to lose sleep.” I felt as if I was a criminal who had been freed from Tihar Jail.

The next afternoon I was sitting behind Rakhi and we were going to watch a trial show of Pramod Chakraborty's film 'Police Force', in which she was playing the role of Akshay Kumar's mother. And she suddenly surprised me when she looked back and said to me, “Now we are friends, what a wonderful lawyer you chose, I had to lose to him.”

Old memories

There was another time when the editor of a trade magazine who was making "Libaas" with Gulzar, and the director was trying to play dirty tricks on me even then Gulzar came to my rescue and he fought for me until I won.

I wish those days would come back and our friendship would remain the way it used to be in those days.