JAB LOG BAMBAI APNI KISMET AAZMAANE AATE THE, TABHI EK ‘BABA' UNHI LOGO KO BHOOK SE DOOR KAARANE KE LIYE BAMBAI AAYE THE.... ALI PETER JOHN

In the sixties, more than 2000 young women and men used to come to Bombay by bus, train and air to try their luck in films and most of them were men who had no home, money or anything that could help them in making a career as actors - Ali Peter John

There were Punjabi dhabas which fed these strugglers all their free meals in a day and it was considered a blessing by some and an act of stupidity by others, but this gentle and large hearted sardar whose name was Gurdeep Singh Bawa took on the responsibility to single handedly feed as many strugglers as he could and without any expectations.

Gurdeep Singh Bawa had his dhaba at the Ranjit Studios where especially prepared vegetarian food was served till the strugglers were satisfied and could go out to fight their battles to succeed.

As expected, Bawa found countless hungry young men and women, but he made sure that not even one of them went hungry.

Among the better known strugglers who was seen at Bawa's dhaba were actors like Dharmendra and Manoj Kumar and among the promising lyricist were Anand Bakshi, Prem Dhawan and above all Sahir Ludhianavi.

The Bawa not only provided good food, but also encouraged and inspired writers and directors and it is said that Sahir wrote most of his songs in “Pyaasa" and especially the most angry songs like ‘jala do Kala do yeh duniya' and ‘jaane woh kaise log the jinne pyar se pyar mila' in Gurdeep's dhaba.

When Dharmendra had to go for the mahurat shot of his first film, “Shola Aur Shabnam", it was Gurdeep Bawa who gave him money enough to pay his taxi fare to the studio and that. Manoj Kumar was also helped by Bawa, both financially and in his career.

Not one of the men who sat at Gurdeep's dhaba turned out to be a failure. When Dharmendra and Manoj Kumar became stars, they made it a point not only to invite Bawa, but also gave him a seat in the front row with all the big stars.

Gurdeep Singh Bawa is now in his eighties and about a year ago when Raaj Grover who was one of his favorite customers and who now lives in New Jersey made it a point to invite Bawa for the release of his book and Bawa had tears in his eyes and could hardly speak.

AGAR BAWA KUCH DIN BOLTE TOH INSAAN AUR INSANIYAT KO KUCH AUR HI RANG AUR ROOP MILTA.