Hrishikesh Mukherjee: The Big-Hearted Legend of Indian Cinema

On the last day of judgment, when God asks me the names of some men and women whom I knew as good people caught in the materialistic world (how do I describe the world of films, especially Hindi films?), I will not hesitate to put the name of Hrishikesh Mukherjee at the top and I believe, God will agree with my choice.

 

Which other directors have worked with almost all the stars from Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand to Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra, Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt, Dr. Shriram Lagoo, Navin Nischol and Amitabh Bachchan and writers and stars like Nutan, Sadhana and Sharmila Tagore and Jaya Bhaduri, Rekha, Rakhee and Amol Palekar, Asrani and Deven Verma and Deepti Naval, Parveen Babi and Zeenat Aman and Nabendru Ghosh, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza, Gulzar, S.D.Burman, Shankar-Jaikishan, Sail Chowdhary, R.D.Burman and music directors like Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Juhi Chawla and Anupam Kher. And the list is endless and unbelievable!

Harshida who used to attend New Theatres in Kolkata, had worked with the best directors and their films moved to Mumbai with Bimal Roy (she had worked with him in 'Devdas') and worked as chief assistant director to Bimal Roy with Gulzar, Raghunath Jhalani and Mini Bhattacharya as junior assistants!

Harshida: A Legendary Director’s Humble Journey in Cinema

Harshida started her career as a director with memorable films like Anupamaa, Anuradha and Satyakaam and went on to make cult films like Golmaal, Anand, Namak Haram, Guddi, Abhimaan Milan Janam, Bemisal and Rang Birangi, to name a few of the 30 films she directed and co-produced with N.C. Sippy. During the 50 years of her illustrious career, she changed the careers of many actors. The above-mentioned achievements would have made anyone else behave like a god, but Harshida was a picture of humility and the epitome of humility. Her only interest and passion in her life was to make films.

And to know that this great man has given me a special place in his heart is something I will always be proud of throughout my life's journey.

I first met Rishi Da at Mohan Studios when he was shooting for 'Namak Hara' with Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh and Rekha. And he was so nice to me that I started having second thoughts about all human beings, I thought I should be as good as Rishi Da, but it only took me a few more months to realise that all men cannot be good and in fact, most men (and women) were bad or on their way to becoming bad.

But, I had my first long meeting with him during the shooting of his film 'Rang Birangi' and I would be lying if I say I didn't feel thrilled when he said he read my column every week. This meeting was the beginning of many meetings with the man who showered me with a 'restless' love and care and even respect, which I clearly did not deserve. Then he made it a point to invite me to all his shoots, which I loved because of the ease and simplicity with which he shot his scenes, even the most difficult ones. If he had any problem, it was because of the language, be it Hindi or Urdu, but he made up for this weakness by his complete command over the scenes he was shooting.

He was being felicitated by Indian film directors for his contribution to Indian cinema. There was not a single star who had worked with him and was in Mumbai who did not attend the grand ceremony. The most interesting part of the evening was Dr. P.C. Alexander, ruler of Maharashtra, giving an almost expert lecture on Rishi Da's films. The other highlight of the evening was Amitabh and Jaya presenting him with blank letters agreeing to do any film Rishi Da wanted to make with them. This was the first time I saw Rishi Da getting emotional. Anyone in his place would have gotten emotional!

His only son, Sandeep Mukherjee was also a director who had made a film. He was also a severe asthmatic patient and had died suddenly in Bangalore. Rishi Da was in a state of shock but even in this state he called me to his house 'Anupama' on Carter Road and told me that Sandeep had left some money in his bank and Rishi Da wanted me to take all charge of the money and use it as I wanted. It was quite a big amount and I told Rishi Da that, I was very weak in dealing with money matters and without losing a minute Rishi Da said, "You take the money and use it for yourself." But I didn't do that.

Corporates had almost taken over the industry and were dictating terms to directors but directors had to toe their lines and Rishi Da walked into one of these corporates without any ego but he was taken aback when a little girl at the reception counter asked him his name and then told him to wait as her boss would have time to see him. He walked out of the office. 'Sholay' producer Ramesh Sippy had the same bad experience.

Rishi Da was making a film titled 'Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate' in the hope that the stars, Anil Kapoor, Jackie, Juhi and Anupam would be very respectful and collaborate with him, but he had the worst experiences while working with these stars and he vowed never to work with such powerful stars again.

He got into making TV serials and was making them happy on his terms. But he started falling ill and was diagnosed with serious kidney problems and had to go for dialysis two or three times a week, an experience that was very painful. It was during this painful time that I called him one morning and the nurse on duty only picked up my call and said that Rishi Da cannot talk to me. I was a little upset.

But, the next morning, Rishi Da called me and apologised for not taking my call. He said he was in his dialysis session and was in severe pain and that is why he could not talk to me. Tell me, who among today's great men and women can have the courtesy and humility to say sorry to a junior journalist?

His condition had worsened and Sunil Dutt called me and asked me if I would accompany him to visit the ailing Rishi Da. A great man was seriously ill and another great man was requesting me to join him in seeing the ailing great man. How could I not go with Dutt sahab to see Rishi Da?

We reached Anupama only to be told that his condition was very bad and no one was allowed to see him. She seemed to have seen Dutt sahab or heard his voice and called us back. He forgot all his pain and suffering and spoke to us for an hour, reminiscing all the good times we had spent together. He became restless and we decided to leave and it was a very tearful farewell, but Rishi Da tried his best to smile.

A few days later, Rishi Da passed into eternity. His body was kept in the ground in front of National College in Bandra and stars and common people paid their respects to his body with folded hands and bowed heads. But when I saw him with Dutt sahab, I saw that smile, even then it seemed that it was the smile of a good person, a smile that cannot be erased even by death or time.

Wherever you may have gone, wherever you are, there will be only joy, we all know this and the generations to come will know it.

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