Yadein… Another Facet of Late Dheeraj Kumar’s Life

By Sharad Rai

The month of Shravan is considered to be the month of Lord Shiva. On the first Tuesday of this holy month, Dheeraj ji has gone to Shivaloka. We remember his words of devotion to Shiva...

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This is from the year 1982-83. Brajesh Dubey used to be Dheeraj Kumar's personal publicist. Whenever we used to be around Juhu's Lido Cinema, Dubey ji used to take us along to Dheeraj Kumar's office. Blue Diamond building was adjacent to Sangeeta apartment, in which Dheeraj ji had his office. Many film people used to live in Sangeeta, where all of us press people used to go, and in Blue Diamond, a room was divided into two parts by a cloth curtain, in which Dheeraj ji had his office. Brajesh Dubey was Dheeraj ji's friend-PR without getting any payment, so whenever he used to go there, Dheeraj ji used to order Bhajiya and tea. We used to eat oily Bhajiya wrapped in newspaper pages or Bhajiya-paav with great relish. Dheeraj ji himself did not eat. He used to say that it did not suit him. Zubi ji (his wife Zubi Kochhar) said that he is "like this. His brother said that he fell sick in childhood, he is scared of sickness even today, and he eats and drinks very cautiously."

Yes, what I wanted to say was that even in that half-room office of Dheeraj ji, there used to be a simple wooden table with a statue of Lord Shiva on one corner. Dheeraj ji used to talk, and in between, used to say, looking at the photo of Lord Shiva- "It's all His grace. Everything will happen whenever He wishes." It was a matter of faith that everything happened and kept happening. His small Blue Diamond office near Lido was converted into a big office in Kailash Building in Veera Desai. Not only was this building named after Shiva's other name Kailash, but Shiva's picture is also on the wall carvings. While doing small and big roles in films, the time came when he started being called the kingmaker of the Doordarshan channel. At one time, his position became such due to the grace of Lord Bholenath, as later, Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Tele Films became due to the grace of Lord Balaji in the building next to his. Perhaps it is God's blessing on which film people from Bollywood to Tollywood believe. Dheeraj Kumar had immense faith in Lord Shiva.

There is a long list of works done by Dheeraj ji. Before assuming the responsibility of director and managing director of Creative Eye, he was an actor. He was influenced by Manoj Kumar. Manoj Kumar was his idol. The impact of which is visible on his works. Manoj Kumar was a devotee of India and Dheeraj was a devotee of Shiva. Once in the office of Blue Diamond, Brajesh Dubey told Dheeraj ji that he was going to visit Siddhi Vinayak temple, Dheeraj ji gave him 101 rupees and said- "Dubey ji, take its prasad and offer it." Whatever the reason may be that day, Dheeraj Kumar took out 101 rupees by breaking his gulak. After that, Lakshmi kept showering her blessings on him. 

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'Om Namah Shivay' was shot on a set in Goregaon East. When we would go there, Dheeraj ji would jokingly tease us by saying, "Did you see the Lord?" A big statue of Lord Shiva was placed at the entrance. Dheeraj ji was pleased to see everyone going inside, worshipping the Lord. In the large office of Kailash Building, a big statue of Lord Shiva was placed next to Dheeraj Kumar's place of sitting. While talking, he would touch the statue and bow down in front of it, "If you wish, it will definitely happen." And he got everything he wanted.

His passing away in the month of Shiv-mas Sawan after completing 80 years of age is sad, but the workers associated with his organization say that "Sahab will go straight to heaven, that is why God has called him in this month.

Dheeraj Kumar Movies

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